aftermath

/ˈɑːftəmæθ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈæftərmæθ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈaf-tər-ˌmath/ (ame, mw)

aftermath — noun

1. the time and conditions that come right after a serious or harmful event such as

1.名詞C1
釋義

the time and conditions that come right after a serious or harmful event such as a war, a natural disaster, or an accident, including the damage, losses, and problems people are left to deal with.

例句

In the aftermath of the typhoon, families in Hualien spent weeks clearing mud from their homes.

in the aftermath of + named disaster

The aftermath of the factory fire left dozens of workers without jobs.

the aftermath of + event as subject

同義詞
  • consequences

    more neutral; can follow any event, not only harmful ones

  • fallout

    informal; emphasises the negative reaction or damage that spreads outwards

  • wake

    literary; usually in the phrase 'in the wake of', similar meaning but slightly more formal

反義詞
  • lead-up

    the period BEFORE the event, the opposite end of the timeline

  • prelude

    formal; the time or events that come before something significant

文法句型

the aftermath of [event]

in the aftermath of [event]

用法筆記

Almost always preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of + event'. Subject of the event is typically negative (war, accident, disaster, scandal); pairing it with a positive event sounds odd to native speakers.

常見錯誤

❌In the aftermath of the wedding, everyone was happy.
✅In the aftermath of the storm, everyone was relieved to be safe.
💡'aftermath' is reserved for harmful or troubling events, not pleasant ones.
❌After the aftermath of the crash, traffic returned.
✅In the aftermath of the crash, traffic was slow for hours.
💡say 'in the aftermath of', not 'after the aftermath of'.