afterward

American  

[af-ter-werd, ahf-] / ˈæf tər wərd, ˈɑf- /

Or afterwards

adverb

1. at a later or subsequent time; subsequently.

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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

See Examples For:

afterward

It’s physical evidence that I scored that goal in college, and what I remember is that my teammates jumped over the boards to pile on top of me afterward, genuinely happy for me.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

But the deal broke down shortly afterward when Iran fired on commercial ships in Hormuz that it accused of deviating from its approved route through the waterway.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

When I met with Carlson, he filled me in on an informal exchange that the two of them had afterward.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

The Trojans compounded mistakes and fell convincingly afterward.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Neither experience is medically dangerous, though the person in question may find themselves mulling things over for a good while afterward.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• afterwards
• eventually
• late
• later
• next
• soon
• then
• thereafter