small hours

plural noun

: the early morning hours

Examples of small hours in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Senate approved the measure in the small hours of Thursday morning. Scott Neuman, NPR, 17 July 2025 Billionaire investor Bill Ackman posted a lengthy tweet in the small hours of the morning promising to financially back any viable candidate who could still defeat Mamdani. Diane Brady, Fortune, 26 June 2025 Screenings run from 8:30 a.m. until the small hours, yet there’s never enough hours in the day. Thomas Page, CNN Money, 24 May 2025 The championship game will air on CBS, tipping off a half-hour earlier (8:50 p.m. ET) than usual in a bid to keep the broadcast from bleeding into the wee small hours of Tuesday morning for those on the East Coast. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for small hours

Word History

First Known Use

1717, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of small hours was in 1717

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Cite this Entry

“Small hours.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20hours. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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