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.
The last time Stewart threw live batting practice, he aggravated the injury by running afterward.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
But in a post on X afterward, he called the story “fake news on steroids.”
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
Papic is worried about what happens months or a year afterward.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
In Los Angeles, for example, the earliest sunrise occurs before the solstice, while the latest sunset takes place afterward.
From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026
Shortly afterward, they rolled back in, leaving bales of hay strewn across the stubbly fields.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
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.
