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.
In this case, there may not be $100,000 left after all the bills are paid.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
He said it is a "really great honor to have my name listed after all those great mathematicians I've always been admiring".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Maybe artificial superintelligence is just around the corner after all.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
If Darline Graham hopes to avoid similar missteps, lukewarm Fox interviews may be the right approach after all.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
To his surprise he found that it was not an old kill after all.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
