after-the-fact

adjective

af·​ter-the-fact
: occurring, done, or made after something has happened
after-the-fact approval
an after-the-fact review

Examples of after-the-fact 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.
Though counseling services were quickly offered, critics argue that no amount of after-the-fact support can undo the psychological toll of discovering redundancy through an impersonal system message. Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 Instead, firms rely on voluntary standards, internal ethics teams, and after-the-fact moderation. The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025 There is almost no competent after-the-fact remedy for situations such as this. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 21 Aug. 2025 Lindsey was arrested on Friday on two accessory-after-the-fact to second-degree murder charges and released the same day on $5,000 bond. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2025 Prevention of contamination should always be prioritized over after-the-fact remediation. Lou Rinaldi, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2025 Workforce reductions mean payroll data from agencies often arrives late, leading to large, after-the-fact corrections. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2025 While employees must give their employers reasonable notice, if practical, of the need for leave, an employer may not discipline an employee for an otherwise unexcused absence who gives the employer after-the-fact certification within a reasonable time that a qualifying act of violence occurred. Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2025 Hannah Thompson was charged with five felonies including obstruction of justice and accessory after-the-fact. Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of after-the-fact was in 1633

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“After-the-fact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/after-the-fact. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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