afterthought

American  

[af-ter-thawt, ahf-] / ˈæf tərˌθɔt, ˈɑf- /

noun

1. a later or second thought; reconsideration.

2. reflection after an act; an appropriate explanation, answer, expedient, or the like, conceived of too late for the occasion.

3. something added, as a part or feature, that was not included in the original plan or design.

   The vestry was added to the church as an afterthought.

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afterthought British  

/ ˈɑːftəˌθɔːt /

noun

1. a comment, reply, etc, that occurs to one after the opportunity to deliver it has passed

2. an addition to something already completed

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Etymology

Origin of afterthought

First recorded in 1655–65; after + thought ¹

Explanation

An afterthought is something you think of or add later. You might quickly wrap a gift and then stick a bow on it as an afterthought just before you hand it to the birthday boy. Sometimes calling something an afterthought is a bit of an insult — a movie reviewer might complain that female characters seem added on as afterthoughts, or a diner at a fancy restaurant could note that while the meat is well-cooked, the vegetables are nothing but an afterthought. This word has been used since the 1600s, a compound of after and thought.

Example Sentences

Salted enough to tip it firmly into savory, so it reads as part of the dish, not an afterthought.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026

Yet Norris, who idolized John Wayne as a child, became an actor as an afterthought.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

To Paul Ehrlich, and the radical environmentalists who revered him, they were at best an afterthought.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

"Safety must be built into products by design rather than treated as an afterthought, with regulators showing more strength in holding companies to account," she said.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

“But I could get out of the finite dimensions fairly often when I was four,” Teddy said, as an afterthought.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger