thereafter
theh-uhr-AHF-tuh
Thereafter (adv) means After that time; from then on. Example: “She left school at sixteen and thereafter worked in her father's shop.”
adv
1
After that time; from then on.
"He left; thereafter we never met again."
"She left school at sixteen and thereafter worked in her father's shop."
"About 133 b.c. the last king of Pergamum, Attalus III Philometor, bequeathed Ephesus, together with the rest of the Pergamenian kingdom, to the Romans and thereafter it continued subject to them."
— Jack Finegan, Ephesus (1946)
"He was promoted in 2020, and thereafter took on more responsibility."
"The rule changed in 1990; thereafter, all applications required approval."
"But a signal check at Tollerton was not expected and the driver had to "step on it" thereafter, to reach Darlington, as we did, dead on time."
— O. S. Nock, British Locomotive Practice and Performance (1959)
How to use thereafter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA formal way of saying "after that" or "from then on".
When to use it
Common in formal, legal, or written English; sounds stiff in casual speech.
Common pairings
shortly thereafter
and thereafter
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Word forms
- Plural
- thereafters
Fill the gap
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She left school at sixteen and _____ worked in her father's shop.
Etymology
From Old English thaeraefter, formed from there plus after.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for thereafter
See all rhymes for thereafter →Frequently asked questions
What does “thereafter” mean?
The word “thereafter” means after that time; from then on. In plain terms, a formal way of saying "after that" or "from then on".
How do you pronounce “thereafter”?
“Thereafter” is pronounced theh-uhr-AHF-tuh (/ˌðɛɹˈæf.tɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “thereafter” in a sentence?
Here is “thereafter” used in a sentence: “He was promoted in 2020, and thereafter took on more responsibility.”
What part of speech is “thereafter”?
“Thereafter” is an adverb.
Where does the word “thereafter” come from?
The word “thereafter” comes from Old English. From Old English thaeraefter, formed from there plus after.
Is “thereafter” a common word?
“Thereafter” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between "thereafter" and "afterwards"?
Both mean at a later time, but "thereafter" is more formal and means specifically "from that point on," often covering everything that follows. "Afterwards" is more everyday and simply means at some later time, without the same sense of continuously from then.
What is the difference between "thereafter" and "hereafter"?
"Thereafter" means after that particular time or event already mentioned. "Hereafter" means from now on, starting at the present moment, and can also refer to life after death. "There-" points back to a stated time, while "here-" points to now.
Is "thereafter" formal?
Yes. "Thereafter" is a formal, slightly old-fashioned adverb common in legal, academic, and official writing. In everyday speech, people usually say "after that," "then," or "from then on" instead.
Where does "thereafter" go in a sentence?
"Thereafter" usually appears at the start of a clause or right after the verb, as in "She left school and thereafter worked abroad." Because it refers back to a time or event already mentioned, that reference must come first.
