at dusk vs in the dusk (2025)

Tony100000

Senior Member

Portugal

Portuguese

  • Mar 4, 2015
  • #1

Hi!

I was wondering if there is any difference between these expressions. I found this example:

His face was barely visible in the dusk.

Could "at dusk" replace "in the dusk"?

Thank you! at dusk vs in the dusk (2)

  • PaulQ

    Senior Member

    UK

    English - England

    • Mar 4, 2015
    • #2

    Yes but His face was barely visible in the dusk. and His face was barely visible at dusk. mean completely different things.

    His face was barely visible in the dusk. = [On this occasion,] The poor light during dusk prevented my seeing his face.
    His face was barely visible at dusk. = Every day, at dusk, his face could barely be seen.

    entangledbank

    Senior Member

    London

    English - South-East England

    • Mar 4, 2015
    • #3

    No, 'at dusk' is the time: the time when the outside world becomes twilight as the sun is setting. You can be inside a brightly-lit room at dusk. But you won't be in the dusk, that is outside in the half-light of sunset.

    Silver_Biscuit

    Senior Member

    Reykjavík

    English - UK

    • Mar 4, 2015
    • #4

    No. The sentence you quoted is describing a particular moment on a particular evening. It is dusk, and his face is barely visible because of the low light.

    'His face was barely visible at dusk' means that every time it is dusk, his face is barely visible. Now this may well be true if he is outside (logically it makes sense), but it's not quite the same meaning.

    Edit: Cross-posted twice, oops!

    99bottles

    Senior Member

    Greek

    • May 11, 2022
    • #5

    entangledbank said:

    No, 'at dusk' is the time: the time when the outside world becomes twilight as the sun is setting. You can be inside a brightly-lit room at dusk. But you won't be in the dusk, that is outside in the half-light of sunset.

    Do I need the in this sentence?

    Little by little, (the) dusk was falling.

    Roxxxannne

    Senior Member

    American English (New England and NYC)

    • May 11, 2022
    • #6

    99bottles said:

    Do I need the in this sentence?

    Little by little, (the) dusk was falling.

    You don't need the to make the sentence grammatical; as a stand-alone sentence it's fine with or without the.
    But your context may determine which is better.

    99bottles

    Senior Member

    Greek

    • May 11, 2022
    • #7

    Roxxxannne said:

    You don't need the to make the sentence grammatical; as a stand-alone sentence it's fine with or without the.
    But your context may determine which is better.

    She looked toward the window. (The) dusk was falling.

    Bonus question: In the meantime, I saw on Google that some people say dusk was rising instead of dusk was falling. Is there a difference?

    Roxxxannne

    Senior Member

    American English (New England and NYC)

    • May 11, 2022
    • #8

    I've read 'dusk was rising' and I've seen dusk appear to rise many times, but I think the more common expression is 'dusk was falling.'

    99bottles

    Senior Member

    Greek

    • May 11, 2022
    • #9

    Roxxxannne said:

    I've read 'dusk was rising' and I've seen dusk appear to rise many times, but I think the more common expression is 'dusk was falling.'

    So no article is needed?

    T

    tracer2

    Senior Member

    US English

    • May 11, 2022
    • #10

    99bottles said:

    So no article is needed?

    In which sentence? I don't think anyone can say no article is needed ever, in any context, at any time.

    99bottles

    Senior Member

    Greek

    • May 11, 2022
    • #11

    tracer2 said:

    In which sentence? I don't think anyone can say no article is needed ever, in any context, at any time.

    #7

    Roxxxannne

    Senior Member

    American English (New England and NYC)

    • May 11, 2022
    • #12

    99bottles said:

    She looked toward the window. (The) dusk was falling.

    I don't think it matters in that stand-alone sentence whether you use 'the' or not.
    But the text that precedes that sentence might indicate whether the definite article is necessary or advisable.

    99bottles

    Senior Member

    Greek

    • May 11, 2022
    • #13

    Roxxxannne said:

    I don't think it matters in that stand-alone sentence whether you use 'the' or not.
    But the text that precedes that sentence might indicate whether the definite article is necessary or advisable.

    Could you please give me some examples in which you would use the and some in which you wouldn't?

    Roxxxannne

    Senior Member

    American English (New England and NYC)

    • May 11, 2022
    • #14

    The dusk that falls only in late May -- cool and full of the scent of apple blossoms -- was beginning to steal across the sky as Alice returned from her visit with Aunt Tilda.

    Dusk was falling, and Chris could barely see the path in front of his feet.

    Uncle Jack

    Senior Member

    Cumbria, UK

    British English

    • May 11, 2022
    • #15

    If you are referring to a particular evening - suppose you have been talking about things happening throughout the day or the afternoon - then you might use "the dusk was falling", referring to the dusk of that particular day.

    In most other situations, I think "the dusk" is a little unlikely, but as with other uses of "the", you might use it for emphasis, as if to say "the time - this particular evening - is important".

    I'm impressed that Roxxxannne has thought of an example where "the" is required. Well, done!

    T

    tracer2

    Senior Member

    US English

    • May 11, 2022
    • #16

    The nightfall that followed the dusk that never seemed to end last Monday, was spectacular.
    .
    The dusk I'm talking about is the one in which God will appear and judge Mankind.

    "The Dusk" is a poem by the Sung poet Lao Shu.

    etc

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