Tonights

Tonights is an infrequently used form that does not have a standard meaning in formal English. Tonight is the common adverb referring to the evening of the current day, and its possessive form tonight’s is used to modify a noun (for example, tonight’s schedule). The nonstandard string tonights, without an apostrophe, is not an established inflection and generally appears only as a typographical variant, a stylistic device in headlines, or as a proper noun in branding or creative works.

In standard grammar, tonights should be avoided for ordinary prose. To describe events occurring this evening in multiple locations, writers typically use phrases like this evening’s events or tonight’s events, depending on whether the possessive form is appropriate. In headlines or promotional copy, writers may adopt a stylized capitalized form for effect, but such usage is not conventional and can reduce clarity in formal writing.

Possible interpretations of tonights include its use as a brand name, a fictional title, or a stylistic choice in marketing materials. When encountered outside of these contexts, it is most often read as a nonstandard plural or as a misspelling of tonight’s. Readers should rely on context to determine whether tonights functions as a proper noun or as an irregular spelling rather than as standard English.

See also: tonight, tonight’s, this evening, English typography, stylistic capitalization.