thereafter

adverb

there·​af·​ter t͟her-ˈaf-tər 

1

: after that

2

archaic : according to that : accordingly

Synonyms of thereafter

• later
• afterward
• after

Examples of thereafter in a Sentence

Thereafter, the two companies operated in full partnership.

gave his farewell speech and left the room shortly thereafter

Recent Examples on the Web

Soon thereafter, Cooper accompanies a trashed Hank to his suite in the Lucky 38. —Jack King, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026

Shortly thereafter, several NATO members deployed small numbers of troops to Greenland for a joint military exercise. —Sam Meredith, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2026

Related Articles Curry is, notably, in sneaker free agency after joining forces with Under Armour back in 2013 — shortly thereafter unveiling his first signature shoe and launching a personal sub-brand circa 2020. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Jan. 2026

What happens thereafter remains to be seen. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for thereafter

• hereinafter
• thereinafter
• after
• drafter
• laughter
• rafter
• hereafter

Kids Definition

thereafter

adverb

there·​af·​ter t͟ha-ˈraf-tər 

t͟he-

: after that

it was returned shortly thereafter