after all

adverb

1

: in spite of considerations or expectations to the contrary : nevertheless

decided to take the train after all

didn't rain after all

2

: in view of all circumstances

… literature which is after all only a special department of reading.

—W. W. Watt

Examples of after all in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But while critics deemed the character overly simplistic and an ultimately unbelievable representation of evil (Cathy is an allegory for the serpent in the garden of Eden, after all), Pugh and Kazan, however, took a very different approach. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026

Putin’s ambitions, after all, go beyond just this one neighbor. — Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026

Living a longer life without disease is a perfectly reasonable desire, after all. — Renée Onque, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

The heart attack was not his fault, after all, but their granddaughter was. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for after all

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol
• gossypol

Kids Definition

after all

adverb

: in spite of what was indicated or expected

decided to go after all

it rained after all