Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (2024)

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You’ve written the sweetest message to send to your loved one before they go to bed. But right before you hit “send,” doubt lurks over you. Is the correct spelling “good night” or “goodnight”? We’ll review everything you need to know about how to use these expressions correctly.

Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (1)
“Good Night” or “Goodnight”: Quick Summary

If you want to send someone good wishes when parting ways at night or before going to sleep, good night is the standard spelling, whereas goodnight is an informal alternative.

  • Good night, Mom.
  • Goodnight, Mom.

However, use the two-word spelling as a noun phrase to describe a night and the closed compound word as a modifier to describe a noun.

  • We had a really good night.
  • I wanted a goodnight hug.
Table of Contents

Which Is Correct: “Good Night” or “Goodnight”?

When To Use “Good Night”

Is it “Good Night Sleep” or “Good Night’s Sleep”?

When To Use “Goodnight”

Synonyms of “Good Night”

Which Is Correct: “Good Night” or “Goodnight”?

The answer is simple: when used as a farewell expression, good night and goodnight are both acceptable, but good night is the standard spelling, whereas goodnight is an informal alternative.

However, if you’re meticulous about your grammar and spelling, there’s more you should know about how to properly use the phrases good night and goodnight.

Intrigued? Let’s dive in!

Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (2)

When To Use “Good Night”

Good night is an interjection (or exclamation) used when parting ways at night or before going to bed. It’s a shortened version of longer expressions.

I hope you’ll have a good night, Lidia.
or
Have yourself a good night, Lidia.
=
Good night, Lidia.

The longer expressions aren’t necessary, as we can interpret what one means when they say good night. However, if you use a full phrase, it’s recommended to write good night and not goodnight.

I hope you’ll have a good night, Lidia.

I hope you’ll have a goodnight, Lidia.

Furthermore, when spelled as two separate words, good night is a noun phrase. Good functions as an adjective that describes the noun night.

We had a good night together.

You know it will be a good night when all your friends coincidentally end up in the same spot.

Julie and Thomas sang, danced, and had a good night together.

When using good night in this sense, using the spelling variant goodnight is incorrect.

We had a goodnight together.

“Good Night’s Sleep” or “Good Night Sleep”

The more grammatically correct way to say this expression is good night’s sleep. This is because noun phrases can indicate possessions; therefore, a good night’s sleep conveys that the sleep belongs to the good night.

He said he had a good night’s sleep.

He said he had a good night sleep.

Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (3)

When To Use “Goodnight”

When used as a farewell expression, goodnight is a more casual spelling of the interjection good night.

Goodnight, Frank. See you in the morning.

It was nice seeing you. Goodnight.

Get some rest. Goodnight.

In this sense, goodnight is typically used as an isolated expression. As we previously mentioned, using goodnight as part of longer expressions is not recommended.

I hope you have a goodnight, Frank. See you in the morning.

Goodnight can also be used as a modifier. In this case, it should be spelled as a closed compound word.

I read her a goodnight story.

Here, goodnight is used to add information to the type of story that was read—one that is told at night before going to sleep. Take a look at what happens if we use the two-word spelling as an adjective:

I read her a good night story.

This sentence can be interpreted in different ways: Someone read a story that took place at night, or someone read a good story that happens to be told at night. Do you see how confusion can arise?

Here are a few more examples of goodnight being used as a modifier.

I told Sarah to give Jonny a goodnight kiss and then go to bed.
Lily asked that I sing her a goodnight lullaby.
Before going to sleep, I sent her a goodnight message.

Synonyms of “Good Night”

When using good night and goodnight as interjections, there are other expressions you can try instead. Here are a few of them:

Sweet dreams
Sleep well
Have a pleasant night
Sleep tight
Until tomorrow
Pleasant dreams
Nighty-night
Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (4)

Sleep Tight Knowing Your Writing is Bright

We know there’s a lot to remember when it comes to using good night and goodnight correctly. So, here’s a recap:

  • When you want to send someone well wishes before going to bed or parting ways at night, good night and goodnight are both acceptable, but good night is the standard spelling. You can remember this by considering the expressions good morning and good afternoon, which are never spelled goodmorning nor goodafternoon.
  • If you intend to describe a night, use the two-word spelling (good night, not goodnight).
  • To modify a noun, use the closed compound spelling (goodnight kiss, not good night kiss).

When in doubt, use LanguageTool as your writing assistant. This multilingual spell and grammar checker can verify the correct usage of good night and goodnight while ensuring optimal tone and style. Give it a try today and start writing flawless and moving goodnight messages.

Checking provided by LanguageToolCheck your text with LanguageTool

  • Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (5)

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Gina holds a Bachelor of Arts in English. With a passion for creating art with words, she spends her free time reading and writing. And no, we didn’t force her to say that. You can find her strolling the shorelines with her loyal canine companion, Mango, or (painfully) cheering on her favorite team, the Miami Dolphins.

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Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? (2024)

FAQs

Good Night or Goodnight: What’s the Difference? ›

In general, "goodnight" is more commonly used as a farewell before going to bed, while "good night" is used more broadly as a greeting or a farewell. It depends on the context, as usual. If you are wishing somebody to “have a good night” at a special event or date, then I would use two words (future tense).

Is there a difference between goodnight and good night? ›

Which Is Correct: “Good Night” or “Goodnight”? The answer is simple: when used as a farewell expression, good night and goodnight are both acceptable, but good night is the standard spelling, whereas goodnight is an informal alternative.

What do you reply when someone says goodnight? ›

No matter what your relationship is to the other person, respond with a simple “thank you” to be polite. You can leave it at that, or follow up with “you too” or “same to you” to return their kind words. Them: “I'm so excited about our presentation tomorrow. Be sure to get enough sleep, and have a good night.”

What does goodnight mean in a text? ›

used to express good wishes in the evening especially when someone is leaving or going to sleep.

What is a proper goodnight? ›

Both "goodnight" and "good night" are considered grammatically correct, but their usage depends on context and personal preference. "Goodnight" (one word) is often used as a farewell or a way to wish someone a pleasant night's sleep. It's commonly used in the following context:"Goodnight! I'll see you in the morning."

Is it goodnight or good night as a greeting? ›

In general, "goodnight" is more commonly used as a farewell before going to bed, while "good night" is used more broadly as a greeting or a farewell. It depends on the context, as usual. If you are wishing somebody to “have a good night” at a special event or date, then I would use two words (future tense).

When a man says "night night"? ›

What does it mean when someone says night night? Night night, or nighty night, is an affectionate way to say good night.

What does it mean when he says goodnight ❤? ›

It's a good sign that he likes you, but do not use it as an accurate measure of just how MUCH he likes you. There are different types of guys after all. Some guys do that as a flirty gesture, some are just sweet and friendly, and some might use it as a hint that he has feelings for you.

Is Goodnight flirting? ›

Because goodnight texts indicate that you're thinking about someone right before you go to bed, they may be construed as flirty.

Is it rude to not say goodnight? ›

The fact that they didn't text you good night doesn't necessarily mean that they don't care or are ignoring texts on purpose. Your partner may have desperately needed restful sleep and didn't think to send any goodnight texts.

When a guy texts you goodnight? ›

If he dreams about you or he just can't stop thinking about you, there's a good chance he'll send you a good morning text to say hello. The same thing goes for good night texts—if your guy texts you good night a lot, it means you're the last thing on his mind before he falls asleep.

What does goodnight 😘 mean? ›

May represent a kiss goodbye or good night and convey feelings of love and affection more generally.

Why is saying goodnight so important? ›

“When you're apart, a good night text affirms for your partner that they are on your mind and conveys in a tangible way that they and the relationship are important to you,” says Rachel Miller, PhD, LMFT, a therapist based in Chicago.

What is the sweetest goodnight message? ›

Good night, sleep tight, can't wait to see your smile in the morning so bright. As you fall asleep, know that you are the last thing I think about at night and the first thing on my mind in the morning. Sweet dreams, my love. Can't tell you how grateful I am to have you in my life.

What's a sweet way to say goodnight? ›

Sweet Ways to Say Goodnight to Your Loved Ones
  • Sleep tight, my little star. ...
  • Time to snuggle up and drift off to dreamland. ...
  • As you close your eyes tonight, remember how much you are loved. ...
  • May your dreams be as magical as you are. ...
  • Sending you hugs and kisses through the night sky.
Feb 9, 2024

When to say goodnight? ›

Say “Good night” to say “goodbye” – when you are leaving to go home. Family members also say “good night” when they are going to bed.

Is it nice to say goodnight? ›

Goodnight messages can be a sweet way to show that you are thinking of someone before you close your eyes. If you're bothered or hurt that your partner doesn't send goodnight texts very often, consider looking at things from their perspective.

How do you say goodnight properly? ›

Formal Ways to Say Good Night
  1. I bid you good night and restful slumber.
  2. Have a restful night.
  3. May your evening be tranquil and your sleep rejuvenating.
  4. Wishing you a night of serene repose.
  5. Allow me to extend my wishes for a peaceful night's rest.
  6. I hope your night is filled with undisturbed sleep and sweet dreams.
Nov 2, 2023

What can we say instead of good night? ›

Sweet dreams, have a pleasant evening, sleep tight, good evening, have a pleasant night, stay well, easy goin', take er easy, later gator, until tomorrow, evenin' partner.

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