# thereafter

/ðɛˈɹæftɝ/ (US) · /ðeəɹˈɑːftɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/thereafter
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. after that time

adverb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

after a specific time or event that you just mentioned.

For teachers: following the time or event previously specified. Often used in formal narrative or legal contexts to establish a timeline.

- The company was founded in 1990 and grew quickly thereafter.
- The treaty was signed in June, and for three years thereafter, the region enjoyed a period of unprecedented peace and economic growth.

Usage: Usually placed at the end of a clause or immediately following a time reference.

### 2. life after death

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

the life or state of being that some people believe happens after you die.

For teachers: existence or life after death; a synonym for 'the hereafter'.

- The poet wrote many verses about the mystery of the thereafter.
- In his final philosophical treatise, he explored the human obsession with the thereafter and the various cultural depictions of the soul's journey.

Teaching tip: This noun sense is very rare in modern English; 'afterlife' or 'the hereafter' are much more common.

## Examples

- They married in June and lived abroad thereafter.
- The company changed its policy in 2010 and thereafter saw a significant increase in employee retention.
- 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.

---

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.