The difference between Sunset and Twilight

When used as nouns, sunset means the time of day when the sun disappears below the western horizon, whereas twilight means the soft light in the sky seen before the rising and (especially) after the setting of the sun, occasioned by the illumination of the earth's atmosphere by the direct rays of the sun and their reflection on the earth.

When used as verbs, sunset means to phase out, whereas twilight means to illuminate faintly.


Twilight is also adjective with the meaning: pertaining to or resembling twilight.

check bellow for the other definitions of Sunset and Twilight

  1. Sunset as a noun:

    The time of day when the sun disappears below the western horizon.

  2. Sunset as a noun:

    The changes in color of the sky at sunset.

  3. Sunset as a noun (figuratively):

    The final period of the life of a person or thing.

    Examples:

    "one's sunset years"

  4. Sunset as a noun (attributively):

    Having a set termination date.

    Examples:

    "The tax increase legislation included a sunset clause requiring renewal to prevent the tax increase from expiring."

  5. Sunset as a noun:

    The region where the sun sets; the west.

  1. Sunset as a verb (business, politics, transitive):

    To phase out.

    Examples:

    "We'll be sunsetting version 1.9 of the software shortly after releasing version 2.0 next quarter."

  1. Twilight as a noun:

    The soft light in the sky seen before the rising and (especially) after the setting of the sun, occasioned by the illumination of the earth's atmosphere by the direct rays of the sun and their reflection on the earth.

    Examples:

    "I could just make out her face in the twilight."

  2. Twilight as a noun:

    The time when this light is visible; the period between daylight and darkness.

    Examples:

    "It was twilight by the time I got back home."

  3. Twilight as a noun (astronomy):

    The time when the sun is less than 18 below the horizon.

  4. Twilight as a noun:

    Any faint light through which something is seen; an in-between or fading condition.

    Examples:

    "The twilight of one's life"

  1. Twilight as an adjective:

    Pertaining to or resembling twilight; faintly illuminated; obscure.

  1. Twilight as a verb (transitive, poetic):

    To illuminate faintly.