after

1 of 7

adverb

af·​ter ˈaf-tər How to pronounce after (audio)
: following in time or place : afterward, behind, later
we arrived shortly after
returned 20 years after

after

2 of 7

preposition

1
a
: behind in place
people lined up one after another
b(1)
: subsequent to in time or order
20 minutes after 6
(2)
: subsequent to and in view of
after all our advice
2
used to indicate the object of a stated or implied action
go after gold
was asking after you
3
: so as to resemble: such as
a
: in accordance with
He's a man after my own heart.
b
: with the name of or a name derived from that of
named after his father
c
: in the characteristic manner of : in imitation of
writing after the manner of Hemingway

see also take after

after

3 of 7

conjunction

: subsequently to the time when
We will come after we make plans.

after

4 of 7

adjective

1
: later in time
in after years
2
[Middle English, probably from afte aft entry 1 + -er -er entry 1] : located toward the rear and especially toward the stern of a ship or tail of an aircraft
an after cabin

after

5 of 7

auxiliary verb

af·​ter ˈäf-tər How to pronounce after (audio)
chiefly Ireland
used with a present participle to indicate action completed and especially just completed
the poor old man is after dying on meJ. M. Synge

after

6 of 7

noun

after-

7 of 7

prefix

1
a
used as the first part of a compound to indicate an event or entity that follows or results from the thing denoted by the second part of the compound
afterbirth
afterlife
afternoon
b
used as the first part of a compound to indicate an event or entity of the same nature as the thing denoted by the second part of the compound but which follows that event or entity and is less intense or significant
afterglow
aftershock
afterthought
2
the rear or lower part
afterdeck

Examples of after in a Sentence

Adverb Don't tell them until after. I expected her then, but she arrived the week after. He ate lunch and left just after. Preposition We arrived shortly after six o'clock. He returned after 20 years. before, during, and after the war He left just after nightfall. He finished the exam after me. Call me after your arrival. She was going to arrive tomorrow but I'm now expecting her the day after tomorrow instead. He left after an hour. How can you say that after what happened last night? It's the highest mountain after Mount Everest. Conjunction He returned after 20 years had passed. Don't tell them until after they've had dinner. He left just after the show ended. Call me after you arrive. He finished the exam after I did. It happened not long after he graduated from college. Adjective had heard that the after section of the cruise ship had more spacious cabins in after years the government set up a special fund for disabled veterans of the war
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Not long after, the Masked Singer alum uploaded a set of photos on Instagram of her and Carswell on a park date. Emily Weaver, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 In 2019, a federal watchdog was sounding the alarm about it, and not long after, Congress passed a bipartisan law to streamline the form, hoping to get money for school into the hands of families who needed it. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024 The artist died not long after, when Ms. Mendieta was 17. Kate Dwyer, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Not long after, someone asked Pearl to record a video for him. Steve Hartman, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2024 Not long after, Ulta jumped on the Truly Organics bandwagon and added its six products in six doors. Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Soon after, Haggen filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed some 83 California stores, costing thousands of jobs. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Soon after, Troupe found himself on the legendary jazz trumpeter’s doorstep. Peter Larsen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2024 But a legal challenge was filed soon after and in late January the High Court in Nairobi blocked any deployment of police officers. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2024
Preposition
Morgan grew up in Middletown and has returned after a stint in Maryland, according to his campaign website. Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2024 Thursday: Recovery: Partners' roles in the recovery process (days/weeks/months after disaster). The Indianapolis Star, 5 Mar. 2024 Nearly 15 years after the paper named its first Restaurant of the Year, the hospitality industry swelled, with restaurants of various cuisines opening in the city and eventually, spilling beyond downtown Detroit, seeping into surrounding neighborhoods. Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024 Missouri lawmakers held a hearing over Carter’s bill last week, exactly two weeks after the mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rally which killed one person and injured more than 20 people. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024 Weisselberg went to jail last year after pleading guilty to evading taxes on $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation from the Trump Organization, including a luxury apartment and a Mercedes-Benz. Compiled Bydemocrat-Gazette Stafffrom Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2024 Victor Sams is an entity who goes after corrupt individuals and corporations. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024 The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, went after Baldwin in a 30-second digital ad the day Hovde formally announced his candidacy, accusing Baldwin of saying one thing and doing another. Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 San Francisco and Buffalo circled one another in the late '80s and early '90s, with San Francisco winning two titles prior to – and another after – the Bills' run of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Following the show’s taping, the two also stepped out for the after party together. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Friday through Sunday night, different groups of musicians will take the stage from 11 p.m. until after 1 a.m., with trombonist Vincent Chandler hosting an after hours jam session Sunday night. Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 31 Aug. 2023 Even following its after hours tumble, the company’s shares fetch around 13 times forward earnings—a premium to American Eagle Outfitters, PVH Corp. and VF Corp. This analysis comes from the Journal's Heard on the Street team. Jinjoo Lee, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2023 The after stateroom can be optioned as a lounge, turning the Fiart 43 into an excellent choice for a cruising couple who is ready to say ciao, bella!, albeit with a noticeable American accent. Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2023 As a general rule, experts suggest investing between 15% to 25% of your after-tax income. Ivana Pino, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2023 What does your after-party look like once the show ends? Calie Schepp, EW.com, 26 Dec. 2022 Investing early: Some experts recommend setting aside anywhere from 15%-25% of your after-tax income for investing, although this could look a little different for everyone. Ivana Pino, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2022 And in the after end of the console is a sink and barbecue that offers service to a dining settee that ostensibly seats eight people, though that seems optimistic if everyone shows up at the same time. Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2022
Noun
The company is owned by FL Entertainment, which also posted profits on Thursday showing revenues of €4.5 billion ($5.8 billion) two years afters making its debut on the Amsterdam stock market. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 The benefit event, with an after party for $1000 Silver and $1500 Gold contributors, was part of a string of comedy shows planned for across the U.S. as the RFK Jr. campaign looks to continue raising campaign funds. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 Moody will enter his first postseason under extra scrutiny after missing a 38-yard field-goal attempt, then slicing a point-after try to snap his phenomenal 60-for-60 start. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2024 In the after photo, Nugget looks impeccably coiffed — and is even sporting a small bow around her neck. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 Chiefs Kingdom celebrated their back-to-back Super Bowl wins with an after party at Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World Las Vegas. Alex Ross, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024 Jokes aside, David did break out the color for the after party, donning a baby blue skirt suit. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 26 Jan. 2024 The stillbirth of her daughter in 1999 cleaved Kristina Keneally’s life into a before and an after. Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Jan. 2024 Selfies may hold more value as testimonials, rather than as authentic afters. Jolene Edgar, Allure, 1 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'after.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English after, efter, going back to Old English æfter, going back to Germanic *after- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German aftar "after, behind," Old Norse eptir, Gothic aptaro), perhaps from Indo-European *h1epi-, *h1opi- "on, at" + *-ter-, suffix of separation and distinctness — more at epi-

Note: The initial element has alternatively been assigned to Indo-European *h2epo-, "(away) from" (see of entry 1); cf. Sanskrit apataram, "farther off." In a Germanic context the forms may well have interacted with each other.

Preposition

Middle English after, efter, going back to Old English æfter, identical with the adverb æfter after entry 1 when governing an object

Conjunction

Middle English, elliptically for after that, from after after entry 2 + that that entry 2

Adjective

independent use of after-

Auxiliary verb

after entry 2, copying Irish prepositional constructions tar éis, i ndiaidh, etc.

Noun

by shortening

Prefix

Middle English after, going back to Old English æfter, form in composition of adverbial æfter after entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Conjunction

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Auxiliary Verb

1778, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of after was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near after

Cite this Entry

“After.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/after. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

after

1 of 4 adverb
af·​ter ˈaf-tər How to pronounce after (audio)
: following in time or place : later, behind

after

2 of 4 preposition
1
a
: behind in time or place
following after us
after dinner
b
: below in rank or order
the highest mountain after Mount Everest
2
: for the reason of catching, seizing, or getting
ran after the ball
go after gold
3
a
: with the name of or a name derived from that of
named after his father
b
: in imitation of
patterned after a Gothic cathedral

after

3 of 4 conjunction
: later than the time when
opened the door after she knocked

after

4 of 4 adjective
1
: later in time
in after years
2
: located toward the stern of a ship or tail of an aircraft
Etymology

Adverb

Old English æfter "behind, later"

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