after
AHF-tuh
After (prep) means Later in time than; following. Example: “Everyone felt sleepy after the long drive home.”
prep
1
Later in time than; following.
"Everyone felt sleepy after the long drive home."
"We'll leave after lunch."
"After the meeting, she called her client."
2
In pursuit of, or searching for.
"The dog ran after the ball."
"Police went after the suspect on foot."
"The children raced after the ice cream van down the street."
3
Named in honor of, or modeled on, someone or something.
"The park was named after a local hero."
"He painted after the style of Monet."
"They named their daughter after her grandmother, who loved gardening."
conj
1
Once; when a previous event has happened.
"After you finish your homework, you can go outside."
"She felt better after she'd slept."
"We washed the dishes after everyone had finished eating dinner."
adj
1
Later; coming next in a sequence.
"She wrote about the after years of her life in her memoir."
"In after years, he regretted the decision."
"The after effects took months to fade."
How to use after
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLater than, or following, something in time or order.
Easily confused with
afterward
Common pairings
after all
after that
named after
day after day
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Word forms
- Plural
- afters
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Everyone felt sleepy _____ the long drive home.
Etymology
From Old English æfter, going back to a Proto-Germanic word built from a root meaning "off, away" plus a comparative ending — literally something like "further away."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for after
See all rhymes for after →Frequently asked questions
What does “after” mean?
The word “after” means later in time than; following. In plain terms, later than, or following, something in time or order.
How do you pronounce “after”?
“After” is pronounced AHF-tuh (/ˈæftəɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “after” in a sentence?
Here is “after” used in a sentence: “We'll leave after lunch.”
What is another word for “after”?
Words with a similar meaning to “after” include post.
What part of speech is “after”?
Depending on how it is used, “after” can be a preposition, a conjunction and an adjective.
Where does the word “after” come from?
The word “after” comes from Old English. From Old English æfter, going back to a Proto-Germanic word built from a root meaning "off, away" plus a comparative ending — literally something like "further away.".
Is “after” a common word?
“After” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “after” have?
“After” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: later in time than; following.
What is the difference between 'after' and 'afterward'?
'After' is a preposition or conjunction that needs something to follow it: 'after lunch,' 'after we left.' 'Afterward' (or 'afterwards') is an adverb that stands alone, meaning 'at a later time': 'we had lunch and left shortly afterward.' If a noun or clause follows, use 'after'; if nothing follows, use 'afterward.'
What is the difference between 'after' and 'before'?
They are opposites in sequence. 'After' means later in time than something — 'after the show.' 'Before' means earlier than something — 'before the show.' If one event follows another, it happens after it; if it comes first, it happens before it.
What is the opposite of 'after'?
The opposite is 'before,' meaning earlier in time. 'After the meeting' points to a later moment, while 'before the meeting' points to an earlier one. In spatial or order-of-sequence uses, 'ahead of' or 'in front of' can also serve as opposites of 'after.'
What is an example of 'after' as a preposition?
In 'we'll talk after the meeting,' 'after' links 'talk' to a later point in time — the meeting. Other examples include 'after midnight,' 'day after day,' and 'named after her grandmother.' As a preposition, 'after' always takes an object marking what comes first.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing after in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
But after taking a break from swimming amid a wave of mental health issues in 2023, he is still searching for that winning feeling again on the big stage.
From
BBC Sport · Jul 25, 2026
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