after hours

1 of 2

phrase

: after the regular quitting or closing time

after-hours

2 of 2

adjective

af·​ter-hours ˌaf-tər-ˈau̇(-ə)rz How to pronounce after-hours (audio)
: engaged in or operating after a legal or conventional closing time
after-hours drinking
an after-hours club

Examples of after hours in a Sentence

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.
Phrase
Tour guides share haunting tales and accounts of spooky sounds staff members hear after hours. — Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 Perhaps an unintended nod to Burden’s 45 hours on the MCA’s floor, a second movement score involves museum staff rearranging the pieces out of view, after hours. — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Meta shareholders absorbed the snub, and a $25 billion jury verdict in a case stemming from the 2010s Cambridge Analytica episode, by temporarily sending the stock up 2% in after-hours trading Wednesday. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Advertisement The shares of both companies rose in after-hours trading on Tuesday. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for after hours

Word History

First Known Use

Phrase

1781, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of after hours was in 1781

Rhymes for after hours

See All Rhymes for after hours

Browse Nearby Words

afterhend
after hours
after-hours
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“After hours.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/after%20hours. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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