- later than something; following something in time
- We'll leave after lunch.
- They arrived shortly after 5.
- Not long after that he resigned.
- Let’s meet the day after tomorrow/the week after next.
- After winning the prize she became famous overnight.
- After an hour I went home (= when an hour had passed).
- (North American English) It’s ten after seven in the morning (= 7.10 a.m.).
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- next to and following somebody/something in order or importance
- Your name comes after mine in the list.
- He's the tallest, after Richard.
- After you (= Please go first).
- After you with the charger (= Can I have it next?).
- behind somebody when they have left; following somebody
- Shut the door after you.
- I'm always having to clean up after the children (= clean the place after they have left it dirty and untidy).
- He ran after her with the book.
- She was left staring after him.
- in contrast to something
- It was pleasantly cool in the house after the sticky heat outside.
- as a result of or because of something that has happened
- I'll never forgive them after what they did.
- despite something; although something has happened
- I can't believe she'd do that, not after all I've done for her.
- … after…used to show that something happens many times or continuously
- day after day of hot weather
- I've told you time after time not to do that.
- trying to find or catch somebody/something
- The police are after them.
- He's after a job at our place.
- about somebody/something
- She asked after you (= how you were).
- in the style of somebody/something; following the example of somebody/something
- a painting after Goya
- We named the baby Ena after her grandmother.
- after-(in adjectives) happening or done later than the time or event mentioned
- after-hours drinking (= after closing time)
- an after-school club
- after-dinner mints
Word OriginOld English æfter, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch achter.
Idioms
See after in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee after in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishafter all
- despite what has been said or expected
- So you made it after all!
- used when you are explaining something, or giving a reason
- He should have paid. He suggested it, after all.
be after doing something (Irish English)
- to be going to do something soon; to be intending to do something soon
- to have just done something
Check pronunciation:
after