afternoon

noun

af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün 

1

: the part of day between noon and sunset

2

: a relatively late period (as of time or life)

in the afternoon of the 19th century

afternoon adjective

Synonyms

• afterlife
• age
• autumn
• evening

Examples of afternoon in a Sentence

morning, afternoon, evening, and night

I'll see you again tomorrow afternoon.

It was early afternoon when I left.

She spent the afternoon at the library.

I remember the many rainy afternoons I spent reading at the library.

She doesn't have class on Friday afternoons.

It took us all afternoon to get there.

It's going to be a long afternoon listening to lectures.

Recent Examples on the Web

This morning and early afternoon, winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph will continue for the Western San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Susana Mountains, and the I-5 corridor. —Max Golembo, ABC News, 16 Jan. 2025

However, conditions will shift on Friday, when there is a 40 percent chance of snow beginning in the afternoon. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025

And Finally… To brighten your Thursday afternoon, watch these baby seagulls frolic. —Cate Martel, The Hill, 16 Jan. 2025

The line for Home Bakery in downtown Rochester was wildly long and winding yesterday afternoon as Lions fans, bundled up in blue, camped out for a chance at playoff tickets. —Annalise Frank, Axios, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English afternone, from after- after- + none noon

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing afternoon

• good afternoon
• make a day/night/morning/afternoon/evening of it
• the other day/night/morning/afternoon/evening
• this afternoon

Kids Definition

afternoon

noun

af·​ter·​noon ˌaf-tər-ˈnün 

: the part of day between noon and sunset

afternoon adjective