afternoon

noun

af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün How to pronounce afternoon (audio)
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

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
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.
If this vote is not decisive, over the next two days, two votes will be held in the morning, and two more in the afternoon. Callum Sutherland, Time, 3 May 2025 The group marched to Grant Park in the afternoon, as hundreds of thousands turned out for rallies around the world, many united in anger over Trump’s agenda, including aggressive tariffs and immigration crackdowns. Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2025 Meanwhile on the West Coast, thunderstorms with rampant lightning quickly developed the afternoon of May 1, prompting a flash flood warning for parts of California including Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 2 May 2025 In the afternoon, the café-style windows are thrown open as its bistro tables spill out onto the sidewalk, ready to hold gigantic Aperol spritzes in burgundy glasses. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for afternoon

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of afternoon was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Afternoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afternoon. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

afternoon

noun
af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün How to pronounce afternoon (audio)
: the part of day between noon and sunset
afternoon adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on afternoon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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