afterthought

noun

af·​ter·​thought ˈaf-tər-ˌthȯt 

1

: an idea occurring later

2

: something (such as a part or feature) not thought of originally : something secondary

Examples of afterthought in a Sentence

Then I remembered, almost as an afterthought, to feed the cat.

The fact was hidden deep in the report, almost as an afterthought.

The lounge was added to the office as an afterthought.

Recent Examples on the Web

Molasses can be an afterthought at the sugar mills that produce it, and that can affect the quality of the rum from which it’s made. —Tony Sachs, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

Instead of consumer safeguards being an afterthought, firms now regularly integrate them into operations and new product design. —Mike Calhoun, Sun Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025

Essentially, Inspiring Integrity is a wake-up call to leaders, emphasizing that compliance shouldn’t be an afterthought. —Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025

What used to be an afterthought for many homeowners is increasingly a bigger portion of the cost of homeownership. —Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

after- + thought entry 1

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for afterthought

• aeronaut
• aforethought
• apricot
• argonaut
• astronaut
• camelot
• coffeepot
• concordat
• cosmonaut
• entrepot
• flowerpot
• huguenot

Kids Definition

afterthought

noun

af·​ter·​thought -ˌthȯt 

1

: a later thought about something one has done or said

2

: something not thought of originally