Definition

1. Noun:
   • The work shift during the night: A period of work, typically lasting eight hours, that occurs during the late night and early morning hours (e.g., from midnight until 8 a.m.).
   • The group of workers on this shift: The collective of employees who work during this nighttime period.

Usage

• The term is used to describe a specific, often demanding, work schedule. It implies working while most people are asleep.
• It is commonly used in industries that operate 24 hours a day, such as healthcare, manufacturing, security, and customer service.

Examples

• Noun (Shift Period):
  • I work the graveyard shift at the hospital, so I sleep during the day.
  • The factory pays a premium for employees who take the graveyard shift.
• Noun (Group of Workers):
  • The graveyard shift is responsible for cleaning the entire building before morning.

Advanced Usage

• "to pull a graveyard shift": To work a single instance of the night shift.
  • I have to pull a graveyard shift this Friday to cover for a colleague.

Variants and Related Words

• Night shift: A more general synonym for graveyard shift, though it can sometimes refer to any shift that occurs partly or wholly at night (e.g., 4 p.m. to midnight).
• Third shift: Another common term, especially in industrial settings, synonymous with graveyard shift.

Synonyms

• Night shift
• Third shift
• Lobster shift (a less common, informal term)
• Midnight shift

Related Phrases

• Swing shift: Typically refers to an afternoon or evening work shift (e.g., 4 p.m. to midnight), which often precedes the graveyard shift.
• Day shift: The standard work period during daylight hours, opposite of the graveyard shift.

Noun

1. workers who work during the night (as midnight to 8 a.m.)
2. the work shift during the night (as midnight to 8 a.m.)