aftermath
Americannoun
noun
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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
Wait, What? Confusing Compound Words
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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.
The post, which was captured in a screenshot by tech news site Aftermath, shows Mr Turnbull suggesting tools like ChatGPT or Copilot to "help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss."
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2025
Now, in the Showtime limited series "Waco: The Aftermath," the two-time Academy Award nominee reprises his role as Gary Noesner, the FBI negotiator during the infamous 1993 Texas siege.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2023
Aftermath: Sporadic clashes erupted between crowds of protesters and the police in cities across the country, including Strasbourg, Rennes and Lyon.
From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2023
That studio time eventually led to Chahayed meeting Melvin “Mel-Man” Bradford, a renowned producer with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2021
Aftermath club was over, I stayed behind to tell Mr. Clifton something when nobody else was in the room.
From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
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.
