afternoon

noun

af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün 

1

: the part of day between noon and sunset

2

: a relatively late period (as of time or life)

in the afternoon of the 19th century

afternoon adjective

Synonyms of afternoon

• evening
• age
• autumn
• twilight

Examples of afternoon in a Sentence

morning, afternoon, evening, and night

I'll see you again tomorrow afternoon.

It was early afternoon when I left.

She spent the afternoon at the library.

I remember the many rainy afternoons I spent reading at the library.

She doesn't have class on Friday afternoons.

It took us all afternoon to get there.

It's going to be a long afternoon listening to lectures.

Recent Examples on the Web

Firefighters began to gain the upper hand on the fire throughout Saturday afternoon, keeping the flames within the burn scar and building containment lines around the fire. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

But with two top-10 wins in seven games, a likely return to the rankings awaiting Sunday afternoon, Baugh’s message is starting to ring true. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

In the afternoon the group toured Sierra College’s mechatronics program, which blends electronics, mechanics and computer control to prepare workers for highly technical equipment, like that used in semiconductor plants. — Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2026

The unidentified man in his 30s was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead later in the afternoon, according to the police. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English afternone, from after- after- + none noon

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing afternoon

• good afternoon
• make a day/night/morning/afternoon/evening of it
• the other day/night/morning/afternoon/evening
• this afternoon

Rhymes for afternoon

• forenoon
• honeymoon
• importune
• laocoon
• opportune
• pantaloon
• picayune
• tablespoon
• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon

Kids Definition

afternoon

noun

af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün 

: the part of day between noon and sunset

afternoon adjective