after-hours
adjective
occurring, engaged in, or operating after the normal or legal closing time for business.
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after hours
after hoursAfter normal working hours, after closing time; also, after legal or established opening hours. For example, I haven't time while the shop is open, but I can see you after hours, or The restaurant employees sometimes stayed for a meal after hours. This term originally referred to laws governing business hours. It also gave rise to the term after-hours club, for a drinking club that remained open later than similar establishments. [Mid-1800s]
after-hours
American
[af-ter-ouuhrz, -ou-erz, ahf-]
/ ˈæf tərˈaʊərz, -ˈaʊ ərz, ˈɑf- /
adjective
after hours
Idioms
Usage
What does after-hours mean? After-hours describes something that happens after normal or legal hours of operation for a business or service, as in The after-hours party starts as soon as the bar closes for the night. After-hours can describe something that happens after its normal time, such as a business meeting that takes place after the close of the business day. In the US, many business offices close at 5 pm. A meeting that took place at 7 pm, for example, would be an after-hours meeting. After-hours can also describe something that happens after the allotted time. It’s generally used in situations in which something can be conducted after a business or program has ended and will still be honored. This use is most often used in reference to the stock market and investing, such as in the phrase after-hours trading. The New York Stock Exchange, for example, is only open from 9:30 am to 4 pm, but trading can be conducted at any time of the day. Finally, after-hours can simply describe something that happens late at night. You might find a restaurant that serves an after-hours breakfast, meaning they serve breakfast foods late at night, especially after midnight. Example: Joanie tried after-hours trading but found that she made more money during regular trading hours.
Etymology
Origin of after-hours
First recorded in 1925–30
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.
See Examples For:
After past snubs, social-media site Reddit has landed a spot on the S&P 500, sending shares on an after-hours rally Thursday.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
Shares of Applied Materials slid 5% to $507.97 in after-hours trading on Thursday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Self-described “party historian” Willetts previously served as senior creative producer at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where she led festival programming and after-hours gallery events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Shares gained as much as 12% in after-hours trading after closing at $90.32 on the Nasdaq.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Inside every after-hours spot, the smoke would hurt your eyes.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Advanced Micro Devices reported $11.5 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 27, beating expectations, but shares fell 7% after hours.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Amazon stock jumped by more than 7 percent after hours.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
But the company's stock fell 4% in after hours trading.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Some of the babies passed after hours, some longer.
From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2026
When his nerves were in rags after hours of questioning, even this appeal could reduce him to sniveling tears.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
