Sunrise? Sunset? Dawn? Dusk?

Do you know the difference between these terms?


Sunrise is similar to dawn. Dawn is the time in the morning when daylight first starts to show up. Sunrise is  an event, it is the time when the sun rises over the eastern horizon in the morning.  So dawn usually begins BEFORE sunrise, the sky grows light and you can see a little better and then finally you begin to see the sun rising over the horizon. Dawn can also mean beginning; at the dawn(beginning) of time.


Sunset is similar to dusk. Dusk is when the sky starts to grow dark in the evening. Sunset is when the sun begins to disappear over the western horizon.


They are pairs of opposites:

sunrise <----------> sunset

dawn <--------> dusk

You watch sunrises/sunsets.

I saw an amazing sunset once in Uruguay, the sky looked like it was on fire.

Dawn is a peaceful time of day when everyone is asleep.

I eat dinner at dusk every evening.

I hate getting up at dawn before the sun rises!

I want to see the sunrise from the top of Mt.Fuji someday.

Dawn & dusk are a bit older words but they are still used, especially in horror movies and stories.


Sunrise and sunset are much more commonly used words.


Have a nice week,


Phil