C1noun 3K

Dawn

UK /["/dɔːn/"]/ US /["/dɔːn/"]/ Pronunciation

Definition

the time of day when light first appears

Listen to definition

In simple words: The time in the morning when the sun starts to rise.

Examples

• We woke up early to watch the beautiful dawn over the mountains.
• The birds start singing at dawn every day.
• Dawn broke slowly, painting the sky with shades of pink and orange.
• In the dawn of the 20th century, many technological advances were made.
• The idea for the new project came to her at the dawn of her career.

Usage notes

Used in everyday conversation to refer to the early morning. Appropriate for both spoken and written contexts. Avoid in very formal writing.

Grammar pattern

standalone noun

Memory hint

Think of 'dawn' as the 'drawn' curtains revealing the light of a new day.

Collocations

• grey/​gray
• early
• greet
• see
• watch
• break
• come
• come up
• light
• sky
• chorus
• at dawn
• before dawn
• by dawn
• (at) the crack of dawn
• from dawn to dusk
• false
• new
• mark
• signal
• see
• dawn of

Synonyms

• daybreak
• sunrise
• morning

Antonyms

• dusk
• night

Common mistakes

• Confused with 'dusk', which refers to evening.
• Using it in non-time contexts, like describing a feeling.
• Mistaking it for 'down', which has a different meaning.