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]
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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.
It was set up by the former defence secretary, Ben Wallace, in the wake of allegations first reported by BBC Panorama, in 2022.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The reason such strength constitutes a bubble warning is that investors have to be particularly exuberant in order to bid growth stocks higher in the wake of rising interest rates.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
On the other end of the spectrum, acts have won praise for battling their way back to the spotlight in the wake of a health scare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
Writing in the wake of World War II, Swiss playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt returned again and again to the subject of guilt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
Despite considerable pressure from the Federalists in Congress and mounting war fever in the wake of the XYZ revelations, Adams held out hope for reconciliation based primarily on these reports.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
