afterward

American  

[af-ter-werd, ahf-] / ˈæf tər wərd, ˈɑf- /

Or afterwards

adverb

1. at a later or subsequent time; subsequently.

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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

They then fell sharply afterward to below 80 cents on the dollar, signifying major concerns about the risk of default.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

“He has a concussion and he is in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said afterward.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Cambridge Associates concluded afterward that the high-quality private-credit managers had spotted the warning signs early and avoided both situations, while banks, broadly syndicated loan funds and rating agencies did not.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

For other companies, the uncertainty around when the war ends and what the Middle East looks like afterward has muddied forecasts.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

But afterward, when they sat on Mom’s bed and her fingers pulled just right—not too loose and not too tight—and her hair went slip-slip-slip into the braid, it was the best part of Cat’s week.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

Related Words

• afterwards
• eventually
• late
• later
• next
• soon
• then
• thereafter