afterward
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of afterward
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English æfterweard, alteration (with -r- of æfter after ) of æfteweard, equivalent to æfte-, æftan aft 1 + -weard -ward
Explanation
If something happens afterward, it occurs after some original event or time. When kids get out of school at 2:00 p.m., teachers generally go home some time afterward. You might attend a reading by an author and then go to the reception afterward, or eat dinner with your family and then go out for ice cream afterward. You can also use the word afterwards — although afterward came first, from the Old English æftanweard, combining æftan, "after," and the direction suffix -weard. The original English form, aftward, was a nautical term.
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.
Eyewitness accounts can restore the missing parts of the story, including what happens afterward.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
The story of one of the most hard-fought battles in World War II-era China was suppressed for years afterward by Communist authorities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
It offers paid parental leave, then a variety of care options afterward, largely cost-adjusted according to family income.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
You saw an unfocused and unbothered bunch who, afterward, seemed mainly perplexed by their lack of execution.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Hours after the wildfire had ignited, the worst was over, but for days afterward, wisps of smoke continued rising from the ashes.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
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.
