AFTERWARDS Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

afterward

adverb

ˈaf-tər-wərd

variants or afterwards

Definition of afterward

as in later

following in time or place we'll go to the play, then have supper afterward

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of afterward Soon afterward, however, child welfare authorities removed the children from her home after concerns about their living situation. — Miami Herald, 24 July 2026 The Zuni account of their origin holds that people came up into this world from beneath it, arriving in the Grand Canyon, and that the long migration afterward carried them across the plateau and into the Bears Ears country. — Kerri J. Malloy, The Conversation, 23 July 2026 Fortunately, the lather doesn’t leave your paws feeling dry afterwards, thanks to vitamin E, shea extract, and aloe. — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 23 July 2026 Women who were not employed at the start of their GLP-1 journey also managed to find work afterward, the research showed. — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for afterward

Recent Examples of Synonyms for afterward

Adverb

And shorting — borrowing a stock to sell it high in the hopes of repurchasing it at a cheaper price later and pocketing the proceeds — is having a bit of a renaissance.

— Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
The man originally did not take responsibility, but the Sheriff’s Office later identified his vehicle using Flock camera footage and video from a homeowner’s private camera.

— Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 23 July 2026

Definition of later

Adverb

The season after, Keegan and Hamburg went all the way to the European Cup final, only to lose to Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
As models keep getting more capable and harder to contain, the field would benefit from more outside visibility into what happens inside AI labs before something goes wrong, Ó hÉigeartaigh said, rather than learning about it only after.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 22 July 2026

Definition of after

Adverb

Los Angeles fire officials arrived shortly thereafter and saw the man atop one of the bridge’s arches, said Lindsey Lantz, public service officer with the Los Angeles Fire Department.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
Water levels may remain elevated through the next high tide cycle along the Louisiana and Texas coastline but should subside thereafter.

— MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026

Definition of thereafter

Browse Nearby Words

aftertastes

afterward

afterword

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Afterward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afterward. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of afterward

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on afterward

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

parochial

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes