Phrase guide

pull an all-nighter

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To stay awake throughout the night, usually when working or studying.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, informal

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: burn the midnight oil, elucubrate
  • OK, let's order some pizzas and get comfortable, because we're gonna be pulling an all-nighter to get this emergency help put together.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: burn the midnight oil, elucubrate

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: سهر طول الليل — work throughout the night
  • Chinese Mandarin: 開夜車 /开夜车 (kāi yèchē) — work throughout the night
  • Chinese Mandarin: 熬通宵 (áotōngxiāo) — work throughout the night
  • Dutch: een nachtje doorhalen — work throughout the night
  • Dutch: een nacht doorhalen — work throughout the night
  • Dutch: lucubreren — work throughout the night
  • Finnish: valvoa yötä myöten — work throughout the night
  • French: passer une nuit blanche — work throughout the night
  • French: faire nuit blanche — work throughout the night
  • German: eine Nachtschicht einlegen — work throughout the night
  • Hungarian: éjszakázik — work throughout the night
  • Hungarian: végigdolgozza az éjszakát — work throughout the night
  • Italian: fare nottata — work throughout the night
  • Japanese: 徹夜する (tetsuya suru) — work throughout the night
  • Korean: 밤새우다 (bamsae'uda) — work throughout the night
  • Korean: 밤새다 (bamsaeda) — work throughout the night
  • Norwegian Bokmål: døgne — work throughout the night
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: døgne — work throughout the night
  • Polish: zarywać noc — work throughout the night
  • Polish: zarwać noc — work throughout the night
  • Portuguese: passar a noite em claro — work throughout the night
  • Portuguese: virar a noite — work throughout the night
  • Portuguese: fazer uma direta — work throughout the night
  • Russian: труди́ться всю ночь напролёт (trudítʹsja vsju nočʹ naproljót) — work throughout the night
  • Spanish: trasnochar — work throughout the night
  • Spanish: pasar la noche en claro / vela — work throughout the night
  • Spanish: desvelarse — work throughout the night
  • Swedish: dygna — work throughout the night
  • Thai: โต้รุ่ง — work throughout the night
  • Turkish: sabahlamak — work throughout the night