after all

adverb

Synonyms of after allnext
1
: in spite of considerations or expectations to the contrary : nevertheless
decided to take the train after all
didn't rain after all
2
: in view of all circumstances
… literature which is after all only a special department of reading.W. W. Watt

Examples of after all in a Sentence

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.
Right now, most New Yorkers can get their Starbucks delivered in 15 minutes by e-bike — after all the foam has dissolved. Anne Kadet, Curbed, 19 June 2026 Oh, and more often than not, nobody bothers to check whether the change intervention actually worked, or whether leaders improve their performance after all! Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 Maybe that was nostalgia after all, that the music was a direct vein to her own childhood, the least complicated part of her life. Danielle Parker, CBS News, 19 June 2026 So Rob-Will’s father wasn’t swept away in a flood after all. Noel Murray, Vulture, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for after all

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of after all was in 1590

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“After all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/after%20all. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

after all

adverb
: in spite of what was indicated or expected
decided to go after all
it rained after all

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