Meaning & use
after dinner
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
the time following the main evening meal
Grammar: Used as an adverbial phrase: We went for a walk after dinner.
Patterns
- after dinner
- after dinner + noun
We usually watch television after dinner.
She takes a short walk after dinner every evening.
After dinner, they sat in the garden and talked.
adjectivebefore a noun
happening or served after the evening meal
Grammar: Hyphenated when used before a noun: an after-dinner mint.
Patterns
- after-dinner + noun
He gave a short after-dinner speech.
The host offered after-dinner drinks on the terrace.
We had after-dinner coffee in the living room.
Common combinations
- after-dinner speech
- The groom gave a funny after-dinner speech.
- after-dinner coffee
- They served after-dinner coffee with small chocolates.
- after-dinner drink
- Would you like an after-dinner drink?
- after-dinner mint
- She took an after-dinner mint from the bowl.
- after-dinner walk
- We went for a quiet after-dinner walk.
Synonyms and how they differ
- postprandial
- Formal or humorous; used mainly in writing or medical contexts, not in everyday speech.
Opposites
Word family
- dinner noun
- The main meal of the day, usually eaten in the evening.
- dinnertime noun
- The time when dinner is usually eaten.
Commonly confused: after dinner or afternoon?
after dinner vs afternoon
Afternoon is the part of the day between noon and evening; after dinner is the time following the evening meal.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'after dinner' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'After dinner' is a fixed phrase meaning after the evening meal, so no article or plural is needed. 'After the dinner' would refer to a particular formal dinner, and 'after dinners' is not used in this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “after dinner”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.