Sundown vs. Sunset — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023
Sundown and sunset both refer to the time when the sun disappears below the horizon. "Sunset" specifically denotes the moment the sun sets, while "Sundown" is often used more casually, sometimes indicating the period just after the sun sets.
Difference Between Sundown and Sunset
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Key Differences
"Sundown" and "sunset" both articulate events related to the descent of the sun beneath the horizon, marking the transition from day to night. However, they're used slightly differently in various contexts. Sundown can imply the period right after the sun sets, while sunset specifically refers to the moment the sun disappears.
Interestingly, sunset has garnered a technical definition, especially in fields such as astronomy and meteorology, where it points to the exact moment the upper limb of the sun disappears below the horizon. Sundown, meanwhile, is often utilized more colloquially, not always indicating a precise moment but sometimes the lingering time shortly after the sun has set, where remnants of daylight might still be apparent.
Literature and everyday speech see sundown occasionally employed to express the entirety of the twilight period, that time when the sun has set but light still lingers, painting the sky in myriad hues. Sunset, conversely, is frequently used to describe scenes or moments, often capturing the vivid colors and patterns created in the sky at the moment the sun sets.
Culturally and symbolically, sunsets often symbolize conclusions, finality, or endings, utilized in various mediums to metaphorically convey the close of chapters. Sundown might carry similar symbolic weight but can also embody the gentle and gradual nature of transitions, given its less precise temporal implications.
Across different regions and dialects of English, the words may carry slightly different weights or common usages. In some American contexts, for example, "sundown" might be used in more varied contexts than sunset, which tends to have a somewhat more formal or literal use globally.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Often refers to the time when the sun is just below the horizon
Specifically refers to the moment when the sun disappears
Usage
Can be more colloquial
Tends to be used more literally and formally
In Literature
Might imply the entire twilight period
Typically used to describe the event or moment of the sun setting
Symbolism
Can symbolize gradual transitions
Often symbolizes endings or finality
Cultural Use
Sometimes used more flexibly
Might be utilized with a bit more precision
Compare with Definitions
Sundown
The time in the evening when the sun disappears.
We decided to start the campfire at sundown.
Sunset
The moment when the sun disappears below the horizon.
The sunset cast a golden glow across the landscape.
Sundown
Sometimes, a specified time for an activity to end.
The town’s sundown curfew was strictly enforced.
Sunset
Metaphorically, the final phase of something.
His retirement marked the sunset of a prolific career.
Sundown
Informally, the period just after the sun has set.
The sky was a beautiful blend of colors during sundown.
Sunset
Visually, the colors and patterns in the sky as the sun sets.
The sunset was particularly vibrant tonight.
Sundown
In certain contexts, the entirety of the twilight period.
Sundown painted the city in a gentle purple hue.
Sunset
A designated or legal setting of something coming to an end.
The sunset of the law will take place in 2023.
Sundown
The time in the evening when the sun disappears or daylight fades.
Sunset
A period or condition of decline following achievements.
The actor's later years were spent in the sunset of his career.
Sundown
The time of sunset.
Sunset
Sunset, also known as sundown, is the daily disappearance of the Sun below the horizon due to Earth's rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth (except the North and South poles), the equinox Sun sets due west at the moment of both the Spring and Autumn equinox.
Sundown
(US) Sunset.
We'll meet by the pier at sundown.
Sunset
The event or time of the disappearance of the upper circumferential edge of the sun as it sets below the horizon.
Sundown
(countable) A hat with a wide brim to shade the eyes from sunlight.
Sunset
The sky as the sun sets
A rosy sunset.
Sundown
To experience an episode or an onset of some detrimental mental condition like agitation, anxiety, hallucination or dementia, daily at nightfall.
Sunset
A decline or final phase
The sunset of an empire.
Sundown
The setting of the sun; sunset.
Sunset
(Law) The automatic expiration of a statutory provision on a previously established date, in the absence of reauthorization
The law's sunset was July 1.
Sundown
A kind of broad-brimmed sun hat worn by women.
Sunset
(Law) Providing for an automatic expiration.
Sundown
The time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
Sunset
To expire on a previously established date, as a statutory provision.
Sundown
Symbolically, the decline or close of a period.
It was the sundown of an era.
Sunset
To provide for the expiration of (a program or agency) by means of a sunset provision.
Sunset
The moment each evening when the sun disappears below the western horizon.
At sunset
Sunset
The changes in color of the sky before and after sunset.
Sunset
(figuratively) The final period of the life of a person or thing.
One's sunset years
Sunset
(attributively) A set termination date.
The tax increase legislation included a sunset clause requiring renewal to prevent the tax increase from expiring.
Sunset
The region where the sun sets; the west.
Sunset
To phase out.
We’ll be sunsetting version 1.9 of the software shortly after releasing version 2.0 next quarter.
Sunset
The descent of the sun below the horizon; also, the time when the sun sets; evening. Also used figuratively.
'T is the sunset of life gives me mystical lore.
Sunset
Hence, the region where the sun sets; the west.
Sunset
The time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
Sunset
Atmospheric phenomena accompanying the daily disappearance of the sun
Sunset
The daily event of the sun sinking below the horizon
Sunset
Of a declining industry or technology;
Sunset industries
Sunset
Providing for termination;
A program with a sunset provision
Common Curiosities
Do "sundown" and "sunset" have the same meaning?
Essentially, yes. Both refer to the time of day when the sun disappears below the horizon, though "sunset" is more commonly used.
Is "sundown" used in specific regions or dialects?
"Sundown" is understood globally but might be used more frequently in specific areas or contexts, such as in the Southern United States.
How are "sundown" and "sunset" used in a meteorological context?
"Sunset" is more commonly used in meteorological or scientific contexts to denote the exact time the sun sets.
How are "sundown" and "sunset" used in figurative language?
Both can symbolize endings, transitions, or the passage of time, often used metaphorically in literature and music.
How does one use "sundown" and "sunset" in a sentence?
E.g., "We watched the sunset over the ocean," or "The streets were illuminated by the soft glow of sundown."
Is "sundown" related to the term "sundowning" in healthcare?
Yes, "sundowning" refers to a state of confusion occurring in the late afternoon and spanning into the night, specifically related to patients with dementia or Alzheimer's, but it's not directly related to the celestial event.
Can "sundown" and "sunset" be used as verbs?
"Sunset" can be used as a verb, especially in a technical or product lifecycle context, but "sundown" is typically not used as a verb.
Is "sundown" used in any legal terms or phrases?
Yes, "sundown laws," also known as "sunset laws," were once used to regulate the presence of minority groups in towns after dark in the U.S.
Are there any popular songs or literature titled "Sundown" or "Sunset"?
Yes, for instance, "Sundown" is a song by Gordon Lightfoot, and there are numerous books and songs with the title "Sunset."
Can "sundown" and "sunset" be used to describe other celestial bodies setting?
While technically possible, these terms are most commonly associated specifically with the sun.
Is there a technical difference between "sundown" and "sunset"?
Not really. Both words describe the event of the sun going down but might be used in different contexts or expressions.
Can "sundown" and "sunset" be used interchangeably in poetry or prose?
Yes, both can be used interchangeably in writing, depending on the rhythm and connotation the writer wants to convey.
Are these terms used in any idiomatic expressions?
"Riding off into the sunset" is a common idiom, originating from old western films, symbolizing the end of a story.
Is "sunset" more formal than "sundown"?
Not necessarily, but "sunset" tends to be used more broadly and in a wider range of contexts, including formal writing.
Is "sundown" ever used in technology or digital contexts?
Not commonly. "Sunset" is more likely to be used in technological contexts, as in "sunsetting a product," meaning phasing it out.
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Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
