Definition

1. Noun:
   • A pleasant feeling or memory that remains after a positive experience: The emotional or psychological warmth, satisfaction, or happiness that lingers following a successful or enjoyable event.
   • A soft, warm light in the sky after sunset: The faint, often colorful, illumination visible in the western sky after the sun has set, caused by the scattering of sunlight by dust particles in the upper atmosphere.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Emotional):
  • She sat quietly, enjoying the afterglow of their heartfelt conversation.
  • The team relaxed in the afterglow of their championship win.
• Noun (Meteorological):
  • We watched the beautiful afterglow of red and orange hues fade into twilight.
  • The afterglow illuminated the clouds long after the sun had disappeared.

Advanced Usage

• "To bask in the afterglow of (something)": To luxuriate in or enjoy the lingering positive feelings from an achievement or pleasant event.
  • After the successful product launch, the CEO basked in the afterglow of the team's hard work.
• Used metaphorically to describe a lingering positive atmosphere or effect.
  • The concert was over, but the afterglow of the music kept the audience in high spirits.

Variants and Related Words

• Afterglows (n, plural): The plural form of 'afterglow'.
  • The afterglows of different sunsets can vary dramatically in color and intensity.
• Afterglow can be used attributively (as a noun modifier).
  • An afterglow effect | An afterglow period of peace.

Synonyms

• Lingering feeling/sensation: Remnant, echo, vestige (of a feeling).
• Twilight glow: Dusk light, sunset afterlight, evening glow.

Related Phrases

• In the afterglow of: During or because of the pleasant period following an event.
  • In the afterglow of the wedding, the family felt especially close.

Related Idioms

• To live in the afterglow: To dwell on or continue to derive happiness from a past success, sometimes instead of focusing on the present or future.
  • He couldn't stop living in the afterglow of his early career achievements.

Noun

1. the pleasure of remembering some pleasant event
   • he basked in the afterglow of his victory
2. a glow sometimes seen in the sky after sunset