in the wake of
Idioms-
Following directly on, as in In the wake of the procession, a number of small children came skipping down the aisle . This usage alludes to the waves made behind a passing vessel. [c. 1800]
-
In the aftermath of, as a consequence of, as in Famine often comes in the wake of war . [Mid-1800s]
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.
Letterman brought us back to ourselves in the wake of 9/11.
From Salon • May 21, 2026
In a March report, the Treasury watchdog said the IRS was rethinking its audit coverage goals for large partnerships in the wake of a smaller staff.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
He was a major architect of the Dodd-Frank Act, which created new regulatory bodies and tightened restrictions on banks in the wake of the 2008 Great Recession.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
That benchmark briefly topped $140 a metric ton in mid-March, the highest level since late 2024, though far below the $440 reached in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
The boat pitches in the wake of a big ferry.
From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
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.
