Definition of SUBSEQUENT

Subsequent vs. Consequent

The English language has many ways to indicate that something has come after another thing, but a number of these words have subtle differences that you may want to observe.

Something is subsequent if it follows something else in time, order, or place. Its meaning is very similar to that of following or later, but it has a more formal tone to it and may imply that something not only follows but in some way grows out of or is otherwise closely connected with what precedes it (“their courtship and subsequent marriage”).

Consequent may also be used of something that follows, but that does so explicitly as a result of something else (“I said an insensitive thing and the consequent argument lasted for days”).

There may be occasions when either subsequent or consequent would work ("her wounding and subsequent [or consequent] loss of blood"); your choice in such cases would depend upon whether you want to stress the order of events or the causal relationship between one event and another.

Examples of subsequent in a Sentence

Her subsequent account of her ordeal, "The Upstairs Room" (1972), was a young adult tour de force, winning a Newbery Honor and other awards. Compared with Anne Frank's "Diary of a Young Girl," it is sparer and sterner. — Leslie Garis, New York Times Book Review, 22 Feb. 2009 In the past, collectors would often hand over partial ownership of a painting—usually from 10% to 20%—and take a tax deduction for an equivalent percentage of the appraised value. The write-off on subsequent donations could rise each time the painting's value grew. Donors got a tax break, and museums got the art to exhibit for a period of time each year. Many such paintings were ultimately bequeathed to the museums. — Jeanne McDowell, Time, 20 Nov. 2006 In 1991, the Nurses' Health Study found that women receiving hormone therapy (estrogen and progestin) enjoyed a big (44 percent) reduction in the risk of coronary artery disease, and millions of women were encouraged to begin the therapy to counteract the effects of menopause. But in 2002, the Women's Health Initiative produced a radically different conclusion: Hormone therapy increases the risk of coronary events in post-menopausal women by 20 percent. A subsequent study confirmed that result. — Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2005 The rate of population growth reached a peak in 1999 and declined in subsequent years. Her work had a great influence on subsequent generations. Subsequent studies confirmed their findings. his arrest and subsequent conviction

Recent Examples on the Web

His form dropped off under subsequent managers Rafa Benitez and then Zidane, who believed that Rodriguez did not work hard enough in training and left him out for Los Blancos' Champions League final wins in 2016 and 2017. — SI.com, "James Rodriguez Favours Real Madrid Return Following Zinedine Zidane Departure," 13 July 2018 Players also received a $500 bonus for hitting home runs in three straight at-bats, another $500 bonus for a fourth straight and an additional $1,000 for every subsequent home run. — Chris Boghossian, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago ties run deep in original 'Home Run Derby,' a short-lived TV show at (the other) Wrigley Field," 13 July 2018 Parker was notably active in the city throughout his time with the Bucks despite his injuries and subsequent rehabs. — Matt Velazquez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Jabari Parker nearing offer sheet deal with Chicago Bulls," 13 July 2018 Robinson returned to Gilead in two subsequent novels, Home and Lila. — Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "What two fictional Gileads can teach us about America in 2018," 12 July 2018 And watched in a theater, where a close-up can swing from feeling gorgeous to imposing, this curious gem is liable to make any subsequent night at the playhouse feel strangely distant and monotonous by comparison. — Robert Abele, latimes.com, "Review: Jean Cocteau's masterful 1948 'Les Parents Terribles' is a treat for movie lovers," 12 July 2018 The city will offer one free pickup of bulk trash each fiscal year, but there are fees for subsequent bulk pickups. — David Anderson, The Aegis, "Aberdeen council adopts new trash pickup ordinance," 12 July 2018 Mathis appealed one substantiated finding, which was dismissed after subsequent investigation. — Melody Gutierrez, SFChronicle.com, "California lawmaker reprimanded for ‘locker-room talk’," 12 July 2018 The Department of Justice has reopened its investigation into the 1955 murder of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old whose vicious lynching and the subsequent acquittal of his killers became a flashpoint for the civil-rights movement. — Adam K. Raymond, Daily Intelligencer, "‘New Information’ Leads DOJ to Reopen Emmett Till Murder Case," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subsequent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.