after all
Idioms-
Despite everything, nevertheless, as in The plane took off half an hour late but landed on time after all .
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After everything else has been considered, ultimately, as in Mary has final approval of the guest list; after all, it's her wedding . The two usages are pronounced differently, the first giving stress to the word after and the second to the word all . Both date from the early 1700s. Also see when all is said and done .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Amid a major outcry from supporter groups and politicians, Fifa backed down, permitting fans to take in sealed, disposable water bottles after all.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
Algorithms, after all, give these priests an incentive to be flashy and address controversies.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
Turns out those older fans may have been on to something after all.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
This is, after all, the largest energy supply shock ever.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
And after all, it was just a possible landslide, right?
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
