afterglow

IPA/ˈɑːftəɡləʊ/
KK[ˈæftɚɡlˌo]IPA/ˈæftərɡləʊ/

afterglow — noun

  • afterglowsingular
  • afterglowsplural

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

1.nounB2
Definition

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

Example

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

Common collocations
  • in the afterglow
  • the afterglow of success
  • the afterglow of a concert
  • feel the afterglow
Synonyms
  • 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

Antonyms
  • letdown

    the flat or disappointed feeling that can follow an exciting event

Grammar Patterns

in the afterglow

the afterglow of [event]

Usage Note

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.

Common Mistakes

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.nounB2
Definition

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

Example

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.

Common collocations
  • pink afterglow
  • evening afterglow
  • afterglow above the hills
  • campfire afterglow
Synonyms
  • 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

Antonyms
  • darkness

    the stage when no remaining light can still be seen

Grammar Patterns

the afterglow over [place]

afterglow from [light source]

Usage Note

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.

Common Mistakes

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.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Afterglow, glow, thrill, satisfaction, and aftereffect can all describe what remains after an experience, but they point to different kinds of results. Afterglow is a warm, pleasant feeling that continues after a concert, holiday, success, or loving moment. Glow can also describe happiness, but it often focuses on a person's visible look or proud mood. Thrill is sharper and more excited, while satisfaction is calmer and more matter-of-fact. Aftereffect is the broadest and most neutral word; it can be good, bad, or merely noticeable, so it lacks the warmth built into afterglow. You can talk about the afterglow of a wedding or a win, but the aftereffect of medicine or stress may have no positive feeling at all.

glow ↗thrill ↗satisfaction ↗aftereffect ↗

Etymology

English

Afterglow was formed in English from after and glow. It first named the light that remains after the sun or another bright light is no longer visible. Later, speakers extended the image to describe the warm good feeling that continues after a happy experience has ended.