aftermath

aftermath — noun

1. the time and conditions that come right after a serious or harmful event such as

1.nounC1
Definition

the time and conditions that come right after a serious or harmful event such as a war, a natural disaster, or an accident, including the damage, losses, and problems people are left to deal with.

Example

In the aftermath of the typhoon, families in Hualien spent weeks clearing mud from their homes.

in the aftermath of + named disaster

The aftermath of the factory fire left dozens of workers without jobs.

the aftermath of + event as subject

Common collocations
  • in the aftermath of
  • the immediate aftermath
  • the bloody aftermath
  • the tragic aftermath
  • deal with the aftermath
Synonyms
  • consequences

    more neutral; can follow any event, not only harmful ones

  • fallout

    informal; emphasises the negative reaction or damage that spreads outwards

  • wake

    literary; usually in the phrase 'in the wake of', similar meaning but slightly more formal

Antonyms
  • lead-up

    the period BEFORE the event, the opposite end of the timeline

  • prelude

    formal; the time or events that come before something significant

Grammar Patterns

the aftermath of [event]

in the aftermath of [event]

Usage Note

Almost always preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of + event'. Subject of the event is typically negative (war, accident, disaster, scandal); pairing it with a positive event sounds odd to native speakers.

Common Mistakes

In the aftermath of the wedding, everyone was happy.
In the aftermath of the storm, everyone was relieved to be safe.
'aftermath' is reserved for harmful or troubling events, not pleasant ones.
After the aftermath of the crash, traffic returned.
In the aftermath of the crash, traffic was slow for hours.
say 'in the aftermath of', not 'after the aftermath of'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe what comes after an event, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Aftermath' focuses on the period and conditions right after a serious, usually harmful event, picturing wreckage, grief, or recovery; you would say 'the aftermath of the earthquake'. 'Consequences' is more neutral and abstract — any cause-and-effect outcome, good or bad ('the consequences of her decision'). 'Fallout' is informal and stresses the spreading negative reaction, especially political or social ('the fallout from the scandal'). 'Wake', usually in 'in the wake of', is more literary and often interchangeable with 'aftermath', but feels slightly more formal: 'in the wake of the resignation, share prices fell'.

aftermath ↗consequencesfallout ↗wake ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • aftermath of war
  • aftermath of disaster
  • aftermath of the crash
  • aftermath of the storm

Phrases

  • the immediate aftermath
  • the tragic aftermath
  • deal with the aftermath
  • in the bloody aftermath of

Prepositions

  • in the aftermath of
  • during the aftermath of

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Originally a farming word from 16th-century English: 'after' (meaning 'later') plus 'math', an old term for a mowing of grass. So 'aftermath' first meant the second crop of grass that grew back after the first cutting. By the 17th century, English speakers began using it figuratively for whatever follows a major event, and today it almost always points to the troubled period that comes after disaster.