afterglow

/ˈɑːftəɡləʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈæftərɡləʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈaf-tər-ˌglō/ (ame, mw)

afterglow — noun

  • afterglowsingular
  • afterglowsplural

1. a warm sense of happiness that stays with you after something enjoyable has ende

1.名詞B2
釋義

a warm sense of happiness that stays with you after something enjoyable has ended

例句

After the school concert, Amelia walked home in a happy afterglow.

in a happy afterglow after a good event

Even days later, Luca felt the afterglow of finally finishing his novel.

the afterglow of an achievement

同義詞
  • glow

    can also describe proud or happy feeling, but it is broader and not always tied to something that has just ended

  • thrill

    stronger and more exciting; afterglow is calmer and longer-lasting

  • satisfaction

    more neutral and less emotional in tone

反義詞
  • letdown

    the flat or disappointed feeling that can follow an exciting event

文法句型

in the afterglow

the afterglow of [event]

用法筆記

Often appears after in or of when people talk about concerts, travel, wins, or other moments that leave good feelings behind. Unlike sense 2, this use is emotional, not a kind of light.

常見錯誤

❌The beach was bright with afterglow after the sun went down.
✅We were still in the afterglow of the trip after we got home.
💡Sense 1 is about a good feeling that continues; the sky-light meaning belongs to sense 2.

2. the faint glow that still shows once the sun is down or a bright light has gone

2.名詞B2
釋義

the faint glow that still shows once the sun is down or a bright light has gone out

例句

Aoi pointed at the pink afterglow above the hills after sunset.

afterglow in the sky after sunset

The lake held the afterglow for a few minutes after the sun disappeared.

同義詞
  • glow

    a broader word for steady light; afterglow specifically comes after a stronger light source

  • twilight

    names the dim evening period more generally, not only the remaining colour or shine

  • radiance

    stronger and brighter; afterglow is softer and fading

反義詞
  • darkness

    the stage when no remaining light can still be seen

文法句型

the afterglow over [place]

afterglow from [light source]

用法筆記

Most often describes light in the sky after sunset, but it can also refer to the last soft glow left by a fire or lamp. Unlike sense 1, this use names something visible.

常見錯誤

❌The award left her in a warm afterglow above the city.
✅The award left her in a warm afterglow for hours.
💡Sense 2 describes remaining light, while the feeling after success belongs to sense 1.