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.
A little AI likely won’t hurt if you use it to smooth out the rough edges; after all, the company uses it in many areas of its own operations.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026
Stocks, after all, are still basking in the glow of one of the biggest bull markets in history, having returned an average of 14% a year over the past decade.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
He also came after all of their joint property, which Burden had purchased with her family trusts.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
The creature’s enormous stature, dark body, and light gray head made me wonder whether it was a buzzard after all.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
Jonah wondered if maybe it wasn’t a gun, after all.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
