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 readingW. W. Watt

Examples of after all in a Sentence

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.
One cultural role of child stars, after all, is to embody for their moment the ambiguities of approaching adolescence. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025 Every incremental advance in writing technology will accelerate progress across the entire spectrum of life science, from agriculture to pharmaceuticals, and from materials science to planetary defense; DNA synthesis is, after all, the foundational tool for engineering biology and biomanufacturing. Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025 And after all, Republicans in Congress are currently fighting Democrats over extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies. David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025 The tailored coat is, after all, a perennial favorite of the Olsen twins. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for after all

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of after all was in 1590

Cite this Entry

“After all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/after%20all. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

after all

adverb
: in spite of what was indicated or expected
decided to go after all
it rained after all

More from Merriam-Webster on after all

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