in the wake of

phrase

1

: close behind and in the same path of travel

… missionaries arrived in the wake of conquistadors and soldiers …

—Sabine MacCormack

2

: as a result of : as a consequence of

… power vacuums left in the wake of the Second World War.

—Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

Examples of in the wake of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those peaceful surroundings would be the icon’s respite in the wake of her 1992 breast cancer diagnosis. — Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 26 Sep. 2026

An OpenAI committee meant to have the final word on the company’s safety protocols is facing increasing scrutiny in the wake of high-profile incidents involving rogue AI agents. — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026

How Floridians who seek compensation for damages from their insurers are seeing their claims rejected more often, in the wake of the sharp new limits on their ability to sue. — Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026

Public interest in the topic has surged in the wake of a succession of media reports, lawmakers and whistleblowers making claims about unidentified anomalous phenomena. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for in the wake of

• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove
• hereinabove