subsequent
Americanadjective
-
occurring or coming later or after (often followed byto ).
subsequent events;
Subsequent to their arrival in Chicago, they bought a new car.
-
following in order or succession; succeeding.
a subsequent section in a treaty.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of subsequent
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin subsequent-, stem of subsequēns “following close behind,” present participle of subsequī “to follow close behind,” equivalent to sub- sub- + sequ(ī) “to follow”
Explanation
For something that comes after something else in time or order, choose the adjective subsequent. If the entire class fails an exam, the teacher will hopefully make subsequent ones a little easier. Subsequent comes from the Latin subsequi "to follow closely" and means just that - following or coming after. If you say, "in 1990 and subsequent years," it includes 1990, whereas "the years subsequent to 1990" do not include it. When you mention a car crash and subsequent traffic jam or a scandal and subsequent investigation, one follows the other in order but a cause and effect relationship is implied too.
Vocabulary lists containing subsequent
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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List 3
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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.
There’s still a question around how many folks actually watched the debate, and if the candidates’ points will resonate in subsequent clips or memes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Julie said that bereavement midwives offered "good, compassionate care" for parents going through the review process, as well as those who return for subsequent pregnancies which can often be traumatising.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
But the Menin discovery, together with subsequent findings, offers a compelling reason to explore whether some of the biological changes associated with aging are more reversible than previously thought.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
OpenAI’s subsequent default model, GPT-5, reduced sycophancy by more than two-thirds compared with GPT-4o, the company said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
But Khalilou’s family had asked us to stay behind and follow them with the rest of their property if things didn’t improve in the subsequent days, so we stayed put.
From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
