afterward
Americanadverb
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One friend would debut a play, naturally, and everyone would come back to my apartment afterward for cocktails and canapés on the fire escape.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
He said the traditional approach to mitigating insider risk relies on verifying someone’s identity and then trusting that what they do afterward is legitimate, which can miss cases where the threat develops over time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Cadets should be required to face difficult decisions in training and explain their actions afterward.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
Scientists have understood this transition for decades, but explaining how oxygen remained sufficiently abundant afterward has been much more difficult.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
Soon afterward, Dusya was posthumously given the Gold Star of Hero of the Soviet Union, the first of the 46th Guards to be awarded this medal.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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