after all
Idioms-
Despite everything, nevertheless, as in The plane took off half an hour late but landed on time after all .
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After everything else has been considered, ultimately, as in Mary has final approval of the guest list; after all, it's her wedding . The two usages are pronounced differently, the first giving stress to the word after and the second to the word all . Both date from the early 1700s. Also see when all is said and done .
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.
Turns out the old jacket wasn’t so random after all.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
It continues to be used as a key milestone by financial influencers today — you cannot, after all, reach $200,000 or $1 million in net worth without getting to $100,000 first.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
He doesn't need a World Cup win to cement his greatness - after all, Messi's first didn't come until he was 35.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
This is Homer, after all, famously the foundation of all great work.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
I hate when people immediately try to explain why a bad situation isn’t so bad after all.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
