aft
adverb
at, close to, or toward the stern or tail.
Showing results for aft.
Search instead for
cftr.
aft
1 American
[aft, ahft]
/ æft, ɑft /
adverb
adjective
aft
2
American
[aft, ahft]
/ æft, ɑft /
adverb
Scot.
aft.
3
American
abbreviation
A.F.T.
4
American
abbreviation
aft
British
/ ɑːft /
adverb
Etymology
Origin of aft
before 950; Middle English afte, Old English æftan from behind, equivalent to æf- opposite + -t- suffix of uncertain value + -an suffix marking motion from; cognate with Old Frisian efta, Old Saxon, Old High German aftan, Gothic aftana, Old Norse aptan, Greek opís ( s ) ō behind; not akin to Greek apó off
Explanation
When something's at the back of a boat, it's aft. You might instruct a passenger on your sailboat to move aft while you adjust the sails. Aft, which can be used as an adverb or an adjective, is almost solely used in nautical or aeronautical terminology — in other words, when you're talking about a boat, ship, or airplane. Flight attendants usually start at the front of the cabin and move aft as they dole out drinks and pretzels, and they might instruct you to stow your huge bag in an aft compartment. The Old English root is æftan, "from behind or farthest back."
Vocabulary lists containing aft
The Cay
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Odyssey," Vocabulary from Part 1 of the epic poem
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Two tunnels ran from fore to aft, right beneath the deck.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2025
“Let’s get everyone off the ship and onto the dock,” Willcox said, and padded aft in his bare feet.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025
In August, it was announced that holes in 737 MAX aft bulkheads were improperly drilled — potentially affecting cabin pressure.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2024
Standing on the aft deck of a modified 13-meter fishing boat in Halifax Harbour, Dariia Atamanchuk gazes at both a cause of the climate crisis and, she hopes, part of the solution.
From Science Magazine ● Nov. 30, 2023
As the varnish dried and hardened on the fabric, it created a fragile and lovely translucent yellow decking fore and aft.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
I have my sister and a dream cousin of ours from Hartford here this aft. and I'm eager to show them how I can pound a public road with a rowdy-cart.
From Get Next! by McHugh, Hugh
I've got a date for the mat., this aft., so ta-ta.
From Uncle Terry A Story of the Maine Coast by Munn, Charles Clark
He had been to breakfast with the beautiful Mrs. Wadsworth, & was on his way, to breakfast at 3 in the aft. with the Duchess of St. Albans.
From Henry Wadsworth Longfellow by Higginson, Thomas Wentworth
"Shorten sail to the taupsles and jib, get the colors ready on the halyards, and then send the men aft.…"
From Great Sea Stories by French, Joseph Lewis
Notably, both the A.F.T. and Moms for Liberty have argued for more effective early reading instruction, including a focus on foundational phonics skills.
From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2023
Because the A.F.T. represents many of the nation’s large, urban school districts, it has long wielded considerable power in Washington.
From New York Times ● Dec. 12, 2021
In Newark, New Jersey’s largest city, A.F.T. organizers have signaled that they will work with Christie on changes to the pension and health care system, in addition to negotiating on issues like merit pay.
From New York Times ● Feb. 24, 2011
"When it comes right down to it, people like teachers," boasts A.F.T. president Sandra Feldman.
From Time Magazine Archive
Albert Shanker, the longtime head of the A.F.T. who was once a symbol of teacher militancy, has been quick to support such contested measures as teacher standards.
From Time Magazine Archive
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.
