afternoon

noun

af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün How to pronounce afternoon (audio)
Synonyms of afternoonnext
1
: the part of day between noon and sunset
2
: a relatively late period (as of time or life)
in the afternoon of the 19th century
afternoon adjective

Examples of afternoon in a Sentence

morning, afternoon, evening, and night I'll see you again tomorrow afternoon. It was early afternoon when I left. She spent the afternoon at the library. I remember the many rainy afternoons I spent reading at the library. She doesn't have class on Friday afternoons. It took us all afternoon to get there. It's going to be a long afternoon listening to lectures.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The group were kayaking and paddleboarding off the coast of Quindalup, Western Australia, on Friday afternoon when they were carried out to sea, said the WA Police Force in a statement published on Facebook on Monday. Jack Guy, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026 Central and eastern Maryland will receive a batch of flurries and snow showers during the afternoon and evening hours. Steven Sosna, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026 One man died and another was wounded Monday afternoon after they were stuck by gunfire in a shooting in Sacramento. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 3 Feb. 2026 The trial of Vivian Hernandez, 62, began Tuesday afternoon before Miami-Dade County Court Judge Maria Cuervo. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for afternoon

Word History

Etymology

Middle English afternone, from after- after- + none noon

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of afternoon was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Afternoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afternoon. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

afternoon

noun
af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün How to pronounce afternoon (audio)
: the part of day between noon and sunset
afternoon adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on afternoon

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