1
: the apparent descent of the sun below the horizon
also
: the accompanying atmospheric effects
2
: the time when the upper limb of the sun disappears below the horizon as a result of the diurnal rotation of the earth
3
: a period of decline
especially
: old age
: stipulating the periodic review of government agencies and programs in order to continue their existence
sunset laws
sunsetted; sunsetting
1
transitive
US
: to cause or allow (something, such as a law) to lapse, end, or be terminated
And yet, even though he was part of the coalition, Obama offered an amendment … that would have sunsetted the merit-based evaluation system for immigrants after five years.—
Jake Tapper
Jake TapperIn an effort to cut back on projects, Google decided to sunset Google Reader …—Tristan Louis
Tristan Louis2
intransitive
US
: to lapse or come to an end : expire
laws that will sunset at the end of the year
Since the credit will sunset at the end of 2016, its fate could rest in the hands of a new Congress and a new president—who might not necessarily see the value in reinstating the credit.—Eric S. Peterson
Eric S. PetersonSynonyms
Examples of sunset in a Sentence
Noun
We worked from sunrise to sunset.
the golden light of sunset
Recent Examples on the WebShannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2024
Spend a blissful day at the three-story spa or the adults-only pool, and the property is one of the best places to catch nightly sunsets on the beach.
—Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sunset 
Noun
Pulling up to the red boat slip under a fiery sunset, no one in the boat was looking at the vivid pinks of the Caribbean sky.
—Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2024
Spend a blissful day at the three-story spa or the adults-only pool, and the property is one of the best places to catch nightly sunsets on the beach.
—Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sunset
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sunset.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sunset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sunset. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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