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to pull an all-nighter
01
to stay awake all night, usually to study, work, or complete a task
Everyday expression
Informal
What does "to pull an all-nighter" mean?
The phrase "to pull an all-nighter" means staying awake all night without sleeping, usually to study, finish work, or meet a deadline. The structure is informal slang where "pull" functions as a verb meaning to carry out an action, and "all-nighter" describes the full night without sleep. It is commonly used in academic and work contexts to describe intense last-minute effort.
Examples
I had to pull an all-nighter to finish my research paper before the deadline.
