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.
Shares in PVH fell 13% to $85.00 in after-hours trading Wednesday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
Shares of Alphabet fell in Monday’s after-hours trading, after the cloud and internet giant announced an $80 million equity offering.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
Dell Technologies surged close to 40% in after-hours trade as investors jumped on sharp growth in the group’s AI servers for data centers reported in the group’s first-quarter earnings.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
MongoDB stock gained 17% in after-hours trade after ending regular trading up 11% to $325.68 on Thursday.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
With the apartment as our headquarters, I gradually got Reginald introduced around to Creole Bill’s, and other Harlem after-hours spots.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
