Afterwards vs Thereafter

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Afterwards

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adverb

Thereafter

Formal Beyond 10,000 (less common) C1 adverb

Most formal: Thereafter Most common: Afterwards

	Afterwards	Thereafter
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈɑːftəwədz/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈæftərwərdz/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˌðeərˈɑːftə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˌðerˈæftər/"]/
Meaning	After something happens, at a later time.	after that time
Example	Afterwards she was sorry for what she'd said.	She married at 17 and gave birth to her first child shortly thereafter.
Register	Neutral	Formal
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR level	B2	C1
Part of speech	adverb	adverb
Collocations	arrive afterwards, meet afterwards, discuss afterwards, see each other afterwards, leave afterwards	thereafter stated, thereafter mentioned, thereafter noted
Antonyms	beforehand, previously	before, prior to, previously
Common mistakes	Confused with 'after' (not interchangeable)., Omitting 's' in 'afterwards' when using it in sentences., Using 'afterwards' too early in a sentence.	Using it incorrectly to indicate a specific time instead of a sequence., Confusing it with 'after' or 'then' in casual contexts., Placing it incorrectly in a sentence, disrupting the flow.
Usage notes	Used in both spoken and written English, 'afterwards' is appropriate for neutral contexts. Avoid in very formal writing where 'subsequently' may be preferred.	Used primarily in writing, particularly in formal contexts such as academic papers or literature. It is less common in everyday spoken language. Avoid using it in casual conversations.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

and made peace afterwards.

Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. › S1 E1

And I didn't feel good afterwards.

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

and made peace afterwards.

Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards.

Afterwards

Frequently asked questions: Afterwards vs Thereafter

What's the difference between Afterwards and Thereafter?

Afterwards: After something happens, at a later time. Thereafter: after that time

Which is more formal: Afterwards and Thereafter?

Thereafter is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Afterwards and Thereafter?

Afterwards is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Afterwards and Thereafter?

Thereafter is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Afterwards and Thereafter the same CEFR level?

Afterwards: B2, Thereafter: C1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Afterwards and Thereafter?

Afterwards: adverb, Thereafter: adverb.

Can you show an example of each?

Afterwards: Afterwards she was sorry for what she'd said. Thereafter: She married at 17 and gave birth to her first child shortly thereafter.

Can I use Afterwards and Thereafter interchangeably?

Not always. Afterwards and Thereafter are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.