afoot

American  

[uh-foot] / əˈfʊt /

adverb

1. on foot; walking.

   I came afoot.

2. astir; in progress.

   There is mischief afoot.

---

afoot British  

/ əˈfʊt /

adjective

1. in circulation or operation; astir

   mischief was afoot

2. on or by foot

---

Etymology

Origin of afoot

First recorded in 1175–1225, afoot is from Middle English a fote, on fote. See a- ¹, foot

Explanation

Something that's afoot is already happening, underway, or being prepared. You might reassure your fellow French club members that plans are afoot for a fund raiser to support your upcoming trip to Québec. People frequently say that plans are afoot when they've started preparing for a party, an election campaign, a job hunt, or anything else that requires some planning. Plans might be afoot for your dad's surprise party, for example, or your sister's wedding. Another, less common way to use afoot is to mean "on foot," or "walking." You could tell your teacher that you're late to school because you missed the bus and had to travel afoot.

Example Sentences

We’ve seen the advent of marriage equality, the #MeToo movement, the Black Lives Matter movement—there’s just been a lot of change afoot, and we’re seeing a real backlash to that.

From Slate • Mar. 10, 2026

But precious metals are in the headlines now, he added, and there are possible “tectonic” shifts afoot.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 11, 2026

The Valentine’s Day changes are a fragment of broader shifts afoot at the company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026

The huge revelation was Will discovering he has supernatural powers... plus something unusual was afoot in a cave with Max, Holly and Vecna, in his earlier, creepy incarnation of Henry Creel.

From BBC • Dec. 23, 2025

Dove was so thick-witted he had no idea anything unusual was afoot.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes