aftermath
Americannoun
noun
-
signs or results of an event or occurrence considered collectively, esp of a catastrophe or disaster
the aftermath of war
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agriculture a second mowing or crop of grass from land that has already yielded one crop earlier in the same year
Etymology
Origin of aftermath
1515–25; after + math a mowing, Old English mǣth; cognate with Old High German mād ( German Mahd ); akin to mow 1
Explanation
The aftermath of a car crash might include a broken fender, a sprained rib, and a lecture from a police officer. The consequences of an unpleasant event make up its aftermath. The math in aftermath does not refer to adding or subtracting numbers, rather it is related to a Germanic word for mowing, or harvest. If you have been mowed down by a class of excited first graders, the aftermath might be a bruised knee, a headache from all of the squealing, and red face from embarrassment.
Vocabulary lists containing aftermath
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Stargirl
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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.
Jin’s path to the pulpit was forged in the aftermath of a different crackdown: Tiananmen Square.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
The news of Xabi Alonso's impending arrival as the club's new manager, which filtered out within the aftermath of Saturday's 1-0 loss, would have lifted their mood.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
"The real damage was done by missiles, especially in Kyiv," Sergii Beskrestnov an advisor to the defence minister said in the aftermath of the attack.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
On “Never Be the Same,” Thompson confronts his resistance to change, whether it be during a relationship or in its aftermath.
From Salon • May 15, 2026
I didn’t see what happened next, only the aftermath.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
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.
