afterthought

noun

af·​ter·​thought ˈaf-tər-ˌthȯt 

1

: an idea occurring later

made the suggestion as an afterthought

2

: something (such as a part or feature) not thought of originally : something secondary

a seating area added as an afterthought to the office

Examples of afterthought in a Sentence

Then I remembered, almost as an afterthought, to feed the cat.

The fact was hidden deep in the report, almost as an afterthought.

The lounge was added to the office as an afterthought.

Recent Examples on the Web

Body skincare is no longer the afterthought slathered on as a moisturizer in winter. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026

Danville, like most of America, was designed for cars, with pedestrians an afterthought. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Rich-girl flip-flops Flip-flops underwent a huge glow-up last summer, graduating from a beachside afterthought to a genuine fashion statement. — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 1 July 2026

Here, lifestyle isn’t an afterthought; it’s integrated into the very fabric of the community, which was designed to function like a private resort. — Gl Homes, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

after- + thought entry 1

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for afterthought

• aeronaut
• aforethought
• apricot
• argonaut
• astronaut
• camelot
• coffeepot
• concordat
• cosmonaut
• entrepot
• flowerpot
• huguenot

Kids Definition

afterthought

noun

af·​ter·​thought -ˌthȯt 

1

: a later thought about something one has done or said

2

: something not thought of originally