afterthought

noun

af·​ter·​thought ˈaf-tər-ˌthȯt 

1

: an idea occurring later

made the suggestion as an afterthought

2

: something (such as a part or feature) not thought of originally : something secondary

a seating area added as an afterthought to the office

Examples of afterthought in a Sentence

Then I remembered, almost as an afterthought, to feed the cat.

The fact was hidden deep in the report, almost as an afterthought.

The lounge was added to the office as an afterthought.

Recent Examples on the Web

The team has issues, but its cast of prospects and afterthoughts from other organizations has been undeniably resilient. —John Shipley, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026

Illness had always been an afterthought for 75-year-old Judy Fambrough-Billingsley. —Ayren Jackson-Cannady, SELF, 29 May 2026

The estate’s amenities are meant to support both big gatherings and everyday living, Compass said — a place where wellness isn’t an afterthought but part of the architecture. —David Caraccio may 27, Sacbee.com, 27 May 2026

Closing that gap requires treating AI fluency as a core leadership competency, built into how executives are evaluated, developed, and promoted, not added as an afterthought once the technology is already in production. —C200, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

after- + thought entry 1

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for afterthought

• aeronaut
• aforethought
• apricot
• argonaut
• astronaut
• camelot
• coffeepot
• concordat
• cosmonaut
• entrepot
• flowerpot
• huguenot

Kids Definition

afterthought

noun

af·​ter·​thought -ˌthȯt 

1

: a later thought about something one has done or said

2

: something not thought of originally