# curfew

/ˈkɝfju/ (US) · /kˈɜːfjuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/curfew
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a stay-at-home rule

noun · CEFR B2

a law or rule that requires you to be home by a specific time, often for safety or during an emergency.

For teachers: a regulation requiring people to be off the streets and in their homes by a designated time, often imposed by authorities during civil unrest or health crises.

- The government ordered a ten o'clock curfew to keep people safe during the protests.
- Following the declaration of a state of emergency, the city council implemented a strict dusk-to-dawn curfew to prevent further property damage.

### 2. the deadline time

noun · CEFR B2

the specific time when you must be home or when a business must close.

For teachers: the specific hour at which a restrictive regulation begins or a deadline for returning home.

- My parents gave me a midnight curfew when I started going out with my friends.
- The teenager hurried home, anxious not to miss her eleven o'clock curfew and risk losing her weekend privileges.

## Examples

- My parents set a midnight curfew for me on weekends.
- The city government lifted the emergency curfew after three nights of peaceful protests and stable conditions.
- While the military command enforced a strict dusk-to-dawn curfew to maintain order, local residents found ways to communicate through shared balconies and windows.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.