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.
Iran’s government, after all, has endured waves of devastating attacks by U.S. and Israeli military forces but remains defiant.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
Read next: Here’s the real cost of economy airfare after all the fees.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026
“Saturday Night Live” still sparks the imagination and drives the conversation after all these years because it’s writer-focused.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
Back in Stockton, Harsimran Singh sat in his business office, explaining to a visitor that his world cup event went forward after all.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
‘On the other hand, it might have just been looking for some flies to eat for breakfast – and if that’s the case then I don’t think I want to learn from it, after all.’
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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.
