[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/afterthought/)

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# afterthought

noun (an afterthought, afterthoughts)

«afterthought» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Something that you think of, say or add later, after the main thing is done. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#m1)
2. Something added without much care, treated as less important. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#m2)

### In the lessons

Used in stories and writing lessons: a sentence added as an afterthought comes at the end. It tells the reader that something was not planned. In everyday talk it can be a little unkind: "the little room was an afterthought". Phrases: as an afterthought, an afterthought to, no afterthought.

### Examples

- As an afterthought, she grabbed her umbrella. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#x1)
- He added a P.S. to the letter as an afterthought. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#x2)
- The garden seemed like an afterthought to the builders. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#x3)
- "And bring a snack," Mum said as an afterthought. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#x4)
- Safety should never be an afterthought. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#x5)
- The last line of the poem was an afterthought. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#x6)
- The small extra room was built as an afterthought. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/#x7)

### Note

Countable: afterthoughts. Written as one word. Often in the phrase "as an afterthought". Do not confuse with "second thoughts" (changing your mind).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «afterthought» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/afterthought/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«afterthought» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/afterthought.html) on Mova free.