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
: subsequently to the time when
We will come after we make plans.
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
af·ter
ˈäf-tər 
chiefly Ireland
—used with a present participle to indicate action completed and especially just completed
the poor old man is after dying on me—
J. M. Synge
J. M. Synge1
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
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Soon after, the bust got pinched.
—David Kushner, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjusting for weather With the threat of pending inclement weather, the second-round tee times were adjusted after Friday’s opening 18.
—Arkansas Online, 25 Oct. 2025
Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 15 Oct. 2025
At the after party, see an awards ceremony and celebrate your accomplishment with food, drink and fun.
—Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Sep. 2025
Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Alaska is dealing with the after-effects of Typhoon Halong, which left one person dead and three more missing, according to officials.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for after
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
The company plans to complete the rollout by the end of the year, with global expansion coming soon after.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Soon after, the bust got pinched.
—David Kushner, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
Preposition
What To Know Jeffries, a New York Democrat, announced his decision after fielding relentless questions by the media and lawmakers on his thoughts about the race.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjusting for weather With the threat of pending inclement weather, the second-round tee times were adjusted after Friday’s opening 18.
—Arkansas Online, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The 41-year-old actor took to Instagram to share his before-and-after photos.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 15 Oct. 2025
At the after party, see an awards ceremony and celebrate your accomplishment with food, drink and fun.
—Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
One parent said the decision to place ATP students in those modular classrooms felt like an after-thought.
—Marsha Sutton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Alaska is dealing with the after-effects of Typhoon Halong, which left one person dead and three more missing, according to officials.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for after
Cite this Entry
“After.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/after. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
after
2 of 4 preposition1
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 adjective1
: 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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