easy
We will draw outside this afternoon.
What does Afternoon mean?
Afternoon is the part of the day after noon and before evening.
Dictionary definition
Afternoon is the part of the day after noon and before evening. It can name one particular afternoon, afternoons in general, or a scheduled period during that time. Informally, Afternoon! is a greeting, and the noun can also appear before another noun, as in afternoon class.
Example sentences
Afternoon in a sentence
easy
The afternoon class begins after lunch.
medium
She volunteers at the library on Friday afternoons.
medium
“Afternoon!” called the coach as the team arrived.
hard
In winter, the afternoon may end in darkness earlier than it does in summer.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Afternoon
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What part of the day is the afternoon?
Afternoon begins after noon and continues until evening.
Practice 2
Which sentence uses afternoon as a greeting?
Here Afternoon is an informal shortened form of Good afternoon.
Practice 3
Which phrase follows the usual preposition pattern?
English usually says in the afternoon, but on Tuesday afternoon for a named day.
Practice complete
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Pronunciation coach
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Afternoon
Voice settings
Sounds like
af · ter · noon · strongest beat: noon
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordAfternoon.
Partnoun, interjection.
MeaningAfternoon is the part of the day after noon and before evening.
ExampleExample: We will draw outside this afternoon.
Word breakdown
3 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- af · ter · noon
- Strongest beat
- noon
- Ending
- NOON
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on noon.
Your turn
Say Afternoon
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Ready when you are.
Nice work—you practiced afternoon.
Synonyms
Words like Afternoon
after middayA close phrase for the ordinary time-of-day sense.
postnoonA rare, formal equivalent; afternoon is much more natural in everyday English.
Antonyms
Opposite words
morningA time-of-day contrast: morning comes before noon, while afternoon comes after noon.
Synonym practice
Want to practice afternoon synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The afternoon sun warmed the playground," then compare close word choices. Practice afternoon synonyms.
Word family
Afternoon word family
Base word
afternoon
noun
afternoons
More than one afternoon; the form can also work adverbially, as in works afternoons.
noun
midafternoon
The middle part of the afternoon; mid-afternoon is also common and can appear before a noun.
Related words
Explore related words
Student support
Understand Afternoon
Hint for students
Noon is the dividing point: morning is before noon, and afternoon is after noon.
Common mix-up
Say in the afternoon for a general time, but on Monday afternoon when a named day comes first. This afternoon needs no preposition.
Try it in class or at home
Students place morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and night on a day timeline, then write an accurate event sentence for three of the periods.
Teacher prompt
Compare in the afternoon, this afternoon, and on Monday afternoon. Ask students what each phrase tells them about when an event happens.
Word Wheels
Practice Afternoon with a Word Wheel
Explore 2 wheels that include this word.
1 of 2
Word Wheel
Practice with the Time & Calendar Words Wheel
Spin this researched Time & Calendar wheel to connect units, parts of the day, calendars, schedules, and words for past, present, and future time.
Word Wheel
Practice with the School Words Wheel
This word is part of WordHive's researched School Words collection. Spin the complete wheel to review meanings, discuss classroom connections, and practice using school vocabulary in sentences.
Learning activities
Practice Afternoon and explore more word games
Cards labelled “Practice AFTERNOON” keep this word in focus. Explore cards open games with other words.
Practice AFTERNOON
Sentence Builder
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Vocabulary Match
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Explore · Context
Context Clue Challenge
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Practice AFTERNOON
Synonym Search
Compare meanings in a question that includes AFTERNOON.
Practice AFTERNOON
Explore · Scramble
Scrambled Bees
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