afterglow
noun
af·ter·glow
ˈaf-tər-ˌglō 
1
: a glow remaining where a light has disappeared
2
: a pleasant effect or feeling that lingers after something is done, experienced, or achieved
basking in the afterglow of success
Examples of afterglow in a Sentence
the afterglow of the sunset
Recent Examples on the Web
America was basking in the afterglow of victory and the end to a brutal period.
—
Coco Krumme, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2023
But for now there is still the afterglow of Chandrayaan-3.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Aug. 2023
Things kick off with Sylvia (Laura Bell Bundy) and Beau (Eric McCormack) in the afterglow of a tryst at the titular country cottage, both speaking in their best Downton-era upper-class British trill.
—Vulture, 24 July 2023
But for Oppenheimer, the afterglow had quickly dimmed and been replaced by an existential hangover of the first order.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 25 July 2023
The food is plant-forward, and the afterglow is awesome by a firepit while stargazing amid the Berkshires.
—Christian Gollayan, Men's Health, 27 June 2023
That included arranging for Tom Cruise — who was still basking in the afterglow of Top Gun: Maverick — to watch the movie, with his positive reaction becoming a talking point on the press tour.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2023
In the afterglow of winning the 2018 World Series, then-president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox gave Chris Sale a five-year, $145 million contract extension.
—Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023
The afterglow of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup victory remains — a spiritual salve for many still suffering from the country’s yearslong inflation crisis.
—Maria Cramer, New York Times, 18 May 2023
See More
Coco Krumme, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2023
But for now there is still the afterglow of Chandrayaan-3.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Aug. 2023
Things kick off with Sylvia (Laura Bell Bundy) and Beau (Eric McCormack) in the afterglow of a tryst at the titular country cottage, both speaking in their best Downton-era upper-class British trill.
—Vulture, 24 July 2023
But for Oppenheimer, the afterglow had quickly dimmed and been replaced by an existential hangover of the first order.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 25 July 2023
The food is plant-forward, and the afterglow is awesome by a firepit while stargazing amid the Berkshires.
—Christian Gollayan, Men's Health, 27 June 2023
That included arranging for Tom Cruise — who was still basking in the afterglow of Top Gun: Maverick — to watch the movie, with his positive reaction becoming a talking point on the press tour.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2023
In the afterglow of winning the 2018 World Series, then-president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox gave Chris Sale a five-year, $145 million contract extension.
—Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023
The afterglow of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup victory remains — a spiritual salve for many still suffering from the country’s yearslong inflation crisis.
—Maria Cramer, New York Times, 18 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'afterglow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near afterglow
Cite this Entry
“Afterglow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afterglow. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
afterglow
noun
af·ter·glow
-ˌglō
1
: a glow remaining (as in the sky after sunsets) where a light has disappeared
2
: a pleasant feeling that lingers after something is done, experienced, or achieved
the afterglow of success
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