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

Chicago deserves leaders who treat public safety, accountability and reliable transit as priorities, not afterthoughts. —Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026

Others scale power faster than the systems that constrain them — eventually, safety and governance feel like an afterthought. —Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026

The Greek islands are peppered with glamorous summer resorts, with a couple of treatment rooms or yoga classes added on almost as an afterthought. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026

The third floor doesn’t feel like an afterthought. —Miriam Schwartz, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 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