ENGLISH
REFERENCE

thereafter

adv. time
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ðɛˈɹæftɝ// UK //ðeəɹˈɑːftɐ// there·after Literary

adv. from that time on. You use it to say that something happened after a specific event you just mentioned.

adv. from that time forward or following a specific event. Used to establish a chronological sequence in formal or narrative contexts.


SIMPLE

They married in June and lived abroad thereafter.

CONTEXTUAL

The company changed its policy in 2010 and thereafter saw a significant increase in employee retention.

COMPLEX

The treaty was signed in the autumn of 1919; thereafter, the borders of the region remained largely unchanged for the better part of a century.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English therafter, theraftir, þerefter, þerafter, þeræfter, from Old English þǣræfter (“after that; thereafter”), equivalent to there + after. Cognate with Saterland Frisian deerätter (“thereafter”), West Frisian dêrefter (“behind that; thereafter”), Dutch daarachter (“behind that; thereafter”), German Low German daarachter (“behind that”), Danish derefter (“thereafter”), Swedish därefter (“thereafter”).

Usage

Typically placed at the end of a clause or immediately following the time reference it modifies.

Pitfall

thereafter the meetingafter the meetingThereafter is an adverb meaning 'after that', not a preposition; it cannot be followed directly by a noun phrase.

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