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
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.
Why rush through the week, though, after all our offseason patience? Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025 Sometimes a cigar isn’t really a cigar after all. Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025 That is, after all, a spy’s skill. Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025 Weddings are expensive, after all, and delaying the big honeymoon trip can help ease the blow by spreading out the cost. Jim Augerinos, Travel + Leisure, 31 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 6 Nov. 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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