afterword

noun

af·​ter·​word ˈaf-tər-ˌwərd 

plural afterwords

: a concluding section that rounds out the design of a literary work : epilogue sense 1

the novel's afterword

Synonyms of afterword

• appendix

Examples of afterword in a Sentence

The novel has a foreword by an eminent critic and an afterword by the author herself.

the author included an afterword about developments in cancer treatment since the book was written

Recent Examples on the Web

Introduction, afterword and compilation copyright © 2026 by Property Of, Inc. — Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026

Godlike, which was reissued last month by NYRB Classics with a new afterword by Raymond Foye, was originally published in 2005. — Jarrett Earnest, The New York Review of Books, 11 Mar. 2026

In an afterword, there are biographies of people well known to us (and some forgotten) who played a part in our city’s history. — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026

Her only other book, Airless Spaces, was published in 1998 by the small radical publisher Semiotext(e); it was reissued earlier this year, with an introduction by Chris Kraus and an afterword by Susan Faludi. — Audrey Wollen, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

after- + word entry 1

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for afterword

• firebird
• hummingbird
• ladybird
• mockingbird
• overheard
• thunderbird
• undergird
• undeterred
• absurd
• averred
• bluebird
• byword