What does after-hours mean? After-hours describes something that happens after normal or legal hours of operation for a business or service, as in The after-hours party starts as soon as the bar closes for the night. After-hours can describe something that happens after its normal time, such as a business meeting that takes place after the close of the business day. In the US, many business offices close at 5 pm. A meeting that took place at 7 pm, for example, would be an after-hours meeting. After-hours can also describe something that happens after the allotted time. It’s generally used in situations in which something can be conducted after a business or program has ended and will still be honored. This use is most often used in reference to the stock market and investing, such as in the phrase after-hours trading. The New York Stock Exchange, for example, is only open from 9:30 am to 4 pm, but trading can be conducted at any time of the day. Finally, after-hours can simply describe something that happens late at night. You might find a restaurant that serves an after-hours breakfast, meaning they serve breakfast foods late at night, especially after midnight. Example: Joanie tried after-hours trading but found that she made more money during regular trading hours.
First recorded in 1925–30
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If Wednesday’s after-hours rally holds up Thursday, the stock would be on track to break the monthly record gain of 52.2% seen in November 2024.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
Micron shares gained another 4.5% in after-hours trade after crossing the $1 trillion market valuation threshold Tuesday.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
Zoom stock jumped 8% in after-hours trade on Thursday.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
Polished after-hours programs with a live audience, large teams of writers and producers and high-priced hosts are fighting off obsolescence as traditional TV audiences get smaller and ad revenues shrink.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
The other nights the boarders had to stay elsewhere because of an after-hours club the owners ran on the weekends.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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.
