afterlife
Americannoun
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Also called future life. life after death.
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the later part of a person's life.
the remarkably productive afterlife of Thomas Jefferson.
noun
Etymology
Origin of afterlife
Explanation
Afterlife is a noun describing the state of being after one’s death. Many cultures and religions have a concept of an afterlife. Otherwise, much of humanity would be quite uneasy. In Eastern religions, there is a notion of “karma” or even of “nirvana,” where, after a person dies, reincarnation takes the soul to a more elevated form of life. The Judeo-Christian tradition trusts in “heaven”; the ancient Egyptians buried precious belongings with their dead to accompany them to the afterlife. Regardless of origin, most religions want people to believe that life doesn't stop when your pulse does.
Vocabulary lists containing afterlife
Ancient Egypt - Introductory
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Ancient Egypt - Middle School and High School
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King Tut Day
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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.
The deeper lesson, though, is that a constitutional right’s popular origins do not guarantee a democratic afterlife.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
In the days since the protests ended, the government has appeared increasingly uneasy about the movement's digital afterlife.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Both share an interest in funerary art, which provides insights into beliefs about beauty, the afterlife, and everyday life.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026
“Stobaeus offers his son a strictly pagan view of the afterlife, as a grim and joyless eternity spent underground.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
Her gaze followed him, devil bright, determined to take him with her to whatever afterlife her cult promised.
From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi
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.
