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.
This time, Roebuck said he was no longer sure about the voices he heard and did not think Jeramy was a suspect after all.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
We are, after all, coming off what many have been referring to as diarrhea-lettuce summer.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
So this is my take: Say “yes” to your mother’s request, but don’t make your blessing — it is only a blessing, not permission, after all — contingent on you getting the same amount.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
It was, after all, all in the family.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
It was only Virginia, after all, not the icy tundra of Michigan.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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.
