afterward
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of afterward
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English æfterweard, alteration (with -r- of æfter after ) of æfteweard, equivalent to æfte-, æftan aft 1 + -weard -ward
Explanation
If something happens afterward, it occurs after some original event or time. When kids get out of school at 2:00 p.m., teachers generally go home some time afterward. You might attend a reading by an author and then go to the reception afterward, or eat dinner with your family and then go out for ice cream afterward. You can also use the word afterwards — although afterward came first, from the Old English æftanweard, combining æftan, "after," and the direction suffix -weard. The original English form, aftward, was a nautical term.
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.
Continuous video monitoring over three months showed that the lions spent much more time eating when carcasses were provided, rested for longer afterward, and gradually became more active as the fasting period continued.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
In the parking lot afterward, students confronted him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
He is a few years from retiring from the military and plans to work as a contractor afterward.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Before the preview, BTS fans, called the ARMY, passed out small gifts to the press, and afterward donors lined up for a special reception.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
But I want to do it first and tell people afterward.
From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan
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.
