afternoon

noun

af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün How to pronounce afternoon (audio)
Synonyms of afternoonnext
1
: the part of day between noon and sunset
2
: a relatively late period (as of time or life)
in the afternoon of the 19th century
afternoon adjective

Examples of afternoon in a Sentence

morning, afternoon, evening, and night I'll see you again tomorrow afternoon. It was early afternoon when I left. She spent the afternoon at the library. I remember the many rainy afternoons I spent reading at the library. She doesn't have class on Friday afternoons. It took us all afternoon to get there. It's going to be a long afternoon listening to lectures.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
At the northernmost point of LBI, find Barnegat Lighthouse State Park for one of the region’s most scenic spots, where visitors climb the historic red-brick lighthouse for panoramic Atlantic views and spend quiet afternoons fishing or walking the jetty below. Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026 As of Friday afternoon, NJ TRANSIT Midtown Direct service is still being diverted to Hoboken Terminal, and will for the remainder of the service day. Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 15 May 2026 The Lions took a 3-2 victory on an afternoon that could have been their last of the season. Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 15 May 2026 An afternoon stroll with Oscar (Diego Calva), who begins as Arlo’s social worker and becomes Peter’s love interest, is invitingly honey-colored in the sunlight, while a druggy nightclub hookup devolves into a dreamy blur of body parts. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for afternoon

Word History

Etymology

Middle English afternone, from after- after- + none noon

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of afternoon was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Afternoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afternoon. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

afternoon

noun
af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün How to pronounce afternoon (audio)
: the part of day between noon and sunset
afternoon adjective

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