early evening

You use it to set a time without being too specific. Use it with the preposition in the. For example, say "I will call you in the early evening." It sounds more natural than saying "at 5:30 PM." It gives you a little flexibility. If you are late by ten minutes, nobody cares. It is a very forgiving phrase for your schedule.

Use it when planning social meetings or light work tasks. It is perfect for happy hour invites. Use it when describing the weather or the light. It works well in emails to clients. It also works for texting your best friend. It is the prime time for walking the dog. You can use it in almost any setting.

Do not use it for late-night parties. If it is 9:00 PM, you missed it. That is just night. Do not use it for lunch dates. That would be very confusing for your friends. Avoid it if you need an exact time for a flight. Pilots do not like "vague" times. Use specific hours for official deadlines.

In many English-speaking cultures, this is "Golden Hour." It is the time for the after-work drink. Many people value this time for family or exercise. In cities, this is also rush hour. It is a mix of stress and relaxation. It is when the streetlights first flicker on. It feels like a fresh start to the day's end.

You might hear people say late afternoon. That is slightly earlier than early evening. Some people just say around fiveish. In the UK, some call this tea time. In the US, it is often dinner time. All these phrases live in the same neighborhood. Early evening is the most polite and clear version.