afternoon
gb/ˌæftɚnˈun/ us/ˌæftɚnˈun/
A1
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
time between noon and evening
The time of day from around 12 o'clock until the evening.
Usage pattern:
in/during/on [the] afternoon
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'afternoon' with 'evening', especially in cultures where evening starts earlier or later than in English-speaking countries.
Synonyms
midday (Refers to the middle of the day, often around noon, but can overlap with early afternoon.)
Antonyms
morning (The earlier part of the day before noon.)
|
evening (The later part of the day after the afternoon.)
Collocations
this afternoon
|in the afternoon
|late afternoon
|early afternoon
|tomorrow afternoon
Themes
daily life
|time
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We met for coffee in the afternoon.
- The meeting will take place tomorrow afternoon.
- It was a hot summer afternoon.
- She usually takes a short nap in the afternoon.
- I prefer to exercise in the late afternoon.
Learner examples
- I eat lunch in the afternoon.
- We play soccer in the afternoon.
- She works in the afternoon.
- They go to the park every afternoon.
Grammar
Dictionary form
afternoon
IPA
GB/ˌæftɚnˈun/
US/ˌæftɚnˈun/
Syllables & stress
af - ter - noon (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ter)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: afternoon
- Plural: afternoons
Word family
Forms
afternoons
noun
Related words
Expressions
good afternoon
1/ɡˈʊd ˌæftɚnˈun/
fixed phrase
polite greeting in the afternoon
A polite way to say hello to someone in the afternoon.
Examples
- Good afternoon, how can I help you?
- She smiled and said, 'Good afternoon' to her neighbor.
in the afternoon
1/ˈɪn ðə ˌæftɚnˈun/
fixed phrase
during the afternoon period
Happening during the hours between noon and evening.
Examples
- Classes finish in the afternoon.
- We usually go for a walk in the afternoon.
this afternoon
1/ðˈɪs ˌæftɚnˈun/
fixed phrase
the afternoon of today
The afternoon of today.
Examples
- I have a dentist appointment this afternoon.
- We are going shopping this afternoon.
tomorrow afternoon
1/təmˈɑɹoʊ ˌæftɚnˈun/
fixed phrase
the afternoon of tomorrow
The afternoon of tomorrow.
Examples
- The game will be played tomorrow afternoon.
- I will call you tomorrow afternoon.
yesterday afternoon
1/jˈɛstɚdˌeɪ ˌæftɚnˈun/
fixed phrase
the afternoon of yesterday
The afternoon of yesterday.
Examples
- It rained heavily yesterday afternoon.
- We met for lunch yesterday afternoon.