afterglow
noun
af·ter·glow
ˈaf-tər-ˌglō 
1
: a glow remaining where a light has disappeared
2
: a pleasant effect or feeling that lingers after something is done, experienced, or achieved
basking in the afterglow of success
Examples of afterglow in a Sentence
the afterglow of the sunset
Recent Examples on the Web
As the afterglow of the midyear continental tournaments fades back into seasonal play in global women’s soccer, there’s been a trend of superlative record-breaking, from the youngest professional goal scorers to the most lucrative transfer fees.
—
Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Completed in 2007, the 33-ft (10 meters) radio telescope was designed to study faint microwave signals from the early universe, including the cosmic microwave background, the afterglow of the Big Bang.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Either way, their afterglows can linger for hours or even months, providing researchers with time to collect as much data as possible.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2025
In the afterglow of Denver’s dominant Week 7 win at New Orleans last fall, a tiny subplot hung in the air like a potential pollutant.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 28 July 2025
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Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Completed in 2007, the 33-ft (10 meters) radio telescope was designed to study faint microwave signals from the early universe, including the cosmic microwave background, the afterglow of the Big Bang.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Either way, their afterglows can linger for hours or even months, providing researchers with time to collect as much data as possible.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2025
In the afterglow of Denver’s dominant Week 7 win at New Orleans last fall, a tiny subplot hung in the air like a potential pollutant.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for afterglow
Cite this Entry
“Afterglow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afterglow. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
afterglow
noun
af·ter·glow
-ˌglō
1
: a glow remaining (as in the sky after sunsets) where a light has disappeared
2
: a pleasant feeling that lingers after something is done, experienced, or achieved
the afterglow of success
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