# subsequent

/ˈsəbsəkwənt/ (US) · /sˈʌbsɪkwənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/subsequent
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. happening after

adjective · CEFR B2 · Academic · Formal

happening or coming after something else.

For teachers: occurring or following after a previous event or point in time.

- The first book was a success, but the subsequent ones did not sell well.
- While the initial trial showed promise, subsequent studies failed to replicate the results under more rigorous laboratory conditions.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it modifies.

### 2. geological erosion

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describing a stream or valley that follows a path where the rock is easy to wear away.

For teachers: denoting a stream or drainage system whose course is determined by the selective erosion of weaker rock strata.

- The river followed a subsequent path through the soft limestone valley.
- The development of subsequent streams along the strike of the weaker shale beds eventually led to the capture of the main river's headwaters.

Usage: Used specifically in geomorphology to describe drainage patterns.

### 3. a stream or fault

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a stream that forms along a path of weak rock.

For teachers: a stream or geological feature that has developed along a line of easily eroded rock.

- Geologists mapped the subsequent to understand how the valley formed.
- The presence of a well-defined subsequent suggests that the underlying tectonic structure has been exposed to prolonged atmospheric weathering.

Usage: Used as a countable noun in technical geological reports.

## Examples

- The first meeting was short, but subsequent ones lasted hours.
- The initial earthquake was small, but subsequent aftershocks caused significant damage to the older buildings.
- While the primary volcanic eruption was brief, the subsequent layers of ash and sediment provided geologists with a detailed record of the region's climatic shifts over several centuries.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.