Pull an All-Nighter: Meaning, Examples & Usage

Meaning 1：stay up all night (Pull an All-Nighter)

Pull an All-Nighter 🔊

/pʊl æn ɔːl ˈnaɪtər/

v. phr.

To stay awake all night in order to study for a test, finish work, or complete a task.

Student pulling an all-nighter with books and coffee at dawn

stay up all night 🔊

➕

/steɪ ʌp ɔːl naɪt/

v. phr.

To remain awake for the entire night, typically to complete academic work, a project, or other urgent tasks.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Combination of 'pull' (to perform) + 'all-nighter' (a night-long session).

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine pulling a heavy sled through the night; you must keep 'pulling' until dawn.

📖 Example

I had to pull an all-nighter to finish my history essay before the deadline. 🔊 I had to stay up all night to finish my history essay before the deadline.

🔗 Collocations

pull an all-nighter for exams – stay up all night preparing for tests

pull an all-nighter at work – stay up all night working on a job task

survive an all-nighter – manage to get through a night without sleep

🔄 Synonyms

burn the midnight oil (v. phr.) – To work or study late into the night

cram (v.) – To study intensively over a short period, often just before an exam

stay up late (v. phr.) – To remain awake past one's usual bedtime

🚫 Antonyms

get a full night's sleep (v. phr.) – To sleep for the recommended duration through the night

go to bed early (v. phr.) – To retire to sleep earlier than usual

rest (v.) – To cease activity and relax or sleep

🌱 Derivatives

all-nighter (n.) – A period of staying awake all night, especially for work or study

📖 Cultural Story

Originating in 19th-century American college slang, this idiom describes students staying awake all night to study before exams.