thereafter

/ðeər'ɑ:ftə/
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thereafter

He moved to a new city and thereafter started a small garden.

Definition

Adverb: At a subsequent time; after that; from that time onward.

Usage

"thereafter" is a formal adverb used to indicate that something happens or is true after a specific point in time or event mentioned earlier. It connects a consequence or sequence to a preceding action or situation.

Examples
Advanced Usage
  • Legal and Formal Contexts: "Thereafter" is commonly used in legal, academic, and formal writing to denote chronological sequence with precision.
    • The tenant shall pay rent on the first of each month; if payment is not received by the fifth, a late fee shall be applied thereafter.
  • Narrative Use: It can be used in storytelling to move the narrative forward in time.
    • He won the championship in 1985. His career, thereafter, was a series of lesser victories.
Variants and Related Words
  • Afterward(s) (adverb): At a later time; after an event. (Less formal than "thereafter").
  • Subsequently (adverb): After a particular thing has happened. (Similar formality to "thereafter").
  • Following that (phrase): After the time or event mentioned.
Synonyms
  • Afterwards
  • Subsequently
  • Later
  • After that
  • Then
Antonyms
  • Previously
  • Beforehand
  • Earlier
  • Prior to that
Notes on Usage
  • Position in Sentence: "Thereafter" typically appears at the beginning of a clause or sentence, or after the subject. It is not used at the end of a sentence.
    • Correct: Thereafter, she was more cautious. or She was thereafter more cautious.
    • Uncommon: She was more cautious thereafter. (This is grammatically possible but less typical).
  • Formality: It is a formal word. In everyday conversation, "after that," "later," or "afterwards" are more common.
  • Reference Point: It always requires a clear antecedent—a previously mentioned time, event, or condition—to which it refers.
thereafter

He moved to a new city and thereafter started a small garden.

Adverb
  1. from that time on
    • thereafter he never called again