after all
Idioms-
Despite everything, nevertheless, as in The plane took off half an hour late but landed on time after all .
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After everything else has been considered, ultimately, as in Mary has final approval of the guest list; after all, it's her wedding . The two usages are pronounced differently, the first giving stress to the word after and the second to the word all . Both date from the early 1700s. Also see when all is said and done .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
UConn went three years between titles, after all.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Stocks, after all, are still basking in the glow of one of the biggest bull markets in history, having returned an average of 14% a year over the past decade.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
The creature’s enormous stature, dark body, and light gray head made me wonder whether it was a buzzard after all.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
If you really value something, after all, you will do your utmost to preserve it.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
Maybe having Sue with her wasn’t the worst thing in the world after all.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
