From Middle English afterwardes, from Old English æfteweard (“behind”) + -s (“(adverbial genitive)”). By surface analysis, after +‎ -wards.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɑːftə.wədz/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈæf.tɚ.wɚdz/

• Audio (US):

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• Hyphenation: af‧ter‧wards
• Homophone: afterwords

afterwards (not comparable)

1. (temporal location) At a later or succeeding time; after that;
   • 2011 November 3, Chris Bevan, “Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     Another Karadeniz cross led to Cudicini's first save of the night, with the Spurs keeper making up for a weak punch by brilliantly pushing away Christian Noboa's snap-shot.
     Two more top-class stops followed quickly afterwards, first from Natcho's rasping shot which was heading into the top corner, and then to deny Ryazantsev at his near post.

• afterhand, afterward; see also Thesaurus:subsequently

• beforehand

• after