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.
But rather than revert to pre-pandemic ways afterward, schools continued to relying heavily on them. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 Tagovailoa on return, boos Falcons and former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was greeted with boos during Friday’s preseason game, lingered on the field afterward to embrace several former teammates and Dolphins staffers. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 However, cooler heads prevailed, with respectful interactions afterward, and Khabib Nurmagomedov even assisting Song. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Shortly afterward, Megan shared a message on her individual Instagram Story that followed similar wording to KATSEYE’s band statement, but in first person. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 28 Aug. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Afterward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afterward. Accessed 1 Sep. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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