after all
"after-all" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“after all” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a prep_phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - anyway, in any case; indicates a statement is true regardless of other considerations; used to reinforce or explain a point.
Corpus desk
Index EN-after-all · after all · English
after all · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-LONG 9 letters
- VOW-3 3 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "A" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | after all |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Prep_phrase |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “after all” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
after all is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aprep_phrase. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
No generated misspelling entries exist for after all in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct English form is after all, spelled A-F-T-E-R- -A-L-L.
Definition
- 1anyway, in any case; indicates a statement is true regardless of other considerations; used to reinforce or explain a point.
- 2in the end, however; used in referring to something that was believed to be the case, but is not; or to an outcome that is not what was expected or predicted.
- 3Introduces information that supports the preceding statement.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how after all appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
After all, they never come home for Christmas.
Of course he won't give you credit. After all, his first and last concern is his company's profit margin.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "after all"?
What does "after all" mean?
What language does "after all" come from?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
What to do next
You've looked up "after all". Here's where to go from here.
- Browse more English words in the "A" letter cohort. A–Z browse
- PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day
PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.