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

Leaving the floor bare can make an entryway feel cold, unfinished, or like an afterthought. — Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 24 Sep. 2026

Harry tries to solve a murder of which he’s been accused, but the mystery comes across as an afterthought. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2026

Most companies treat those calls as an afterthought in their reporting, if they are counted at all, and are left to guess about their impact. — Todd Fisher, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

During Fortescue’s early years, the environmental toll of gouging metals from the earth was all but an afterthought. — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 23 Sep. 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