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
Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
Not long after, in the 1990s, a series of application software companies became the dominant players in their respective sectors within tech.
—Chris Degnan, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
Tran took a handoff on the next play and, after spinning out of a tackle, sprinted into the end zone.
—Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 27 Sep. 2025
Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Sep. 2025
Do unboxings, demos, and before-and-after clips to show your range.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Instead of arguing about a day-after plan, discussions should focus on today.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for after
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.
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Adverb
The president initially floated his movie tariff idea on Truth Social in May, prompting panic across Hollywood, even after the White House sought to temper expectations in a statement not long after.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
Not long after, in the 1990s, a series of application software companies became the dominant players in their respective sectors within tech.
—Chris Degnan, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
Preposition
Adames had a rocky start to his tenure in San Francisco after signing a seven-year, $182 million deal this offseason, the largest contract in franchise history at the time.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
Tran took a handoff on the next play and, after spinning out of a tackle, sprinted into the end zone.
—Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
At the after party, see an awards ceremony and celebrate your accomplishment with food, drink and fun.
—Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Sep. 2025
Do unboxings, demos, and before-and-after clips to show your range.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
Two weeks shy of his 83rd birthday, the billionaire Hall of Fame owner of the Dallas Cowboys jumped for joy in his suite at AT&T Stadium on Sunday night, convinced that the clock had struck zero in an after-dark, overtime thriller with more sudden swings than a Christopher Nolan movie.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Instead of arguing about a day-after plan, discussions should focus on today.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 23 Sep. 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 3 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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