afterward

adverb

af·​ter·​ward ˈaf-tər-wərd How to pronounce afterward (audio)
ˈaf-tə-
variants or afterwards
ˈaf-tər-wərdz How to pronounce afterward (audio)
ˈaf-tə-
Synonyms of afterward
: at a later or succeeding time : subsequently, thereafter
found out about it long afterward

Synonyms of afterward

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Examples of afterward in a Sentence

He found out about it long afterward. Afterward, she got a promotion.
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.
Once your order is confirmed, your purchase price is locked in, even if market prices change afterward. — Jamela Adam, USA Today, 5 July 2026 Soon afterward, however, both city and county officials acknowledged that the date no longer carried much urgency. — Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 4 July 2026 The Americans face a tough test against Belgium that is viewed as a coin flip, and things would get even tougher afterward against Spain or Portugal. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 4 July 2026 This heat drives more melting and more basaltic volcanism, a process that plays out not just in the minutes-to-hours timescale of the actual collision, but in tens or even hundreds of millions of years afterward. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for afterward

Word History

Etymology

Middle English afterward "behind, in the rear, at a later time," going back to Old English æfterweard "behind, following," from æfter after entry 1 + -weard -ward entry 2; Middle English afterwardes, efterwardes "at a later time," from afterward + -es -s entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

afterwar
afterward
afterwash
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Cite this Entry

“Afterward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afterward. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

afterward

adverb
af·​ter·​ward ˈaf-tə(r)-wərd How to pronounce afterward (audio)
variants or afterwards
-wərdz How to pronounce afterward (audio)
: at a later time

More from Merriam-Webster on afterward

Nglish: Translation of afterward for Spanish Speakers

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