after all

adverb

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 readingW. 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.
Part of what helped Guadagnino shoot rapidly — quickly enough, after all, to ensure Starkey was back in teen-soap land right on schedule — was the actors’ connections to their roles. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024 Trump, after all, is on record advocating for one himself. Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2024 As the trio Hanson, Zac and his brothers Taylor and Isaac have, after all, been making music together for 30 years — the equivalent of an entire career for many artists. Rebecca Milzoff, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2024 Every recipe tastes better with fresh ingredients, after all. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near after all

Cite this Entry

“After all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/after%20all. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

after all

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

More from Merriam-Webster on after all

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