after his return

USAGE SUMMARY

'after his return' is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to when something happens after someone has returned from a place/time away. For example, "After his return from the military, John struggled to find a job."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was arrested shortly after his return.

The Guardian

Carl loaned me the DVD after his return from Austen.

Stanford University

He was knighted after his return to England in 1603.

Encyclopedia Britannica

After his return, Mr. Hariri suggested as much.

The New York Times

After his return to London in 1913 he practiced psychoanalysis.

Encyclopedia Britannica

After his return to London, he took up medical studies.

The New Yorker

Ben Bella reentered the political arena soon after his return.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He died soon after his return in 1585.

Encyclopedia Britannica

After his return from Washington, he pulled out some surprises.

The Economist

He went to Ground Zero the day after his return.

The New Yorker

She was executed by him after his return.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "after his return", ensure the context clearly specifies where the person is returning from to avoid ambiguity. For instance, specify "after his return from vacation" or "after his return from overseas".

Common error

Avoid using "after his return" without specifying who 'his' refers to, especially in contexts with multiple male figures. Always clarify the subject to maintain clarity and avoid confusing the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after his return" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically acting as an adverbial modifier. It indicates the timing of an event or action in relation to someone's return to a place or state. Ludwig's examples show this phrase setting a temporal context.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

25%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Science

15%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "after his return" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase that functions as an adverbial modifier to specify the timing of events. According to Ludwig, the phrase's versatility allows it to fit into various contexts, predominantly in News & Media, Academic, and Encyclopedia sources. Its purpose is to provide a clear temporal relationship between someone's return and subsequent actions, maintaining a neutral register. When using the phrase, ensure clarity by specifying the subject and destination of the return. Remember that options such as "following his return" provide similar but slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

upon his repatriation

Emphasizes the official act of returning to one's country.

subsequent to his comeback

Highlights the chronological sequence of events after his return.

following his arrival back

Focuses on the action immediately after getting back to the point of origin.

once he was back

Implies a condition being met after his return.

on his coming back

Refers to activities or situations when he came back.

post-return

A concise way to describe something happening after return.

in the wake of his return

Emphasizes events that directly resulted or were influenced by the return.

since his return

Indicates duration of events after the return.

with his return

Highlights conditions, or situations that happened by his return.

following his reappearance

Emphasizes a renewed presence or visibility.

FAQs

How can I use "after his return" in a sentence?

Use "after his return" to indicate an event or action that occurred subsequent to someone's arrival back from a specific place or activity. For example, "After his return from deployment, he enrolled in college."

What phrases are similar to "after his return"?

Alternatives include "following his return", "upon his repatriation", or "subsequent to his comeback", each offering a slightly different emphasis.

Is it correct to say "following his return" instead of "after his return"?

Yes, "following his return" is a grammatically correct and semantically similar alternative to "after his return". Both phrases indicate that something happened subsequent to his arrival back.

What's the difference between "after his return" and "before his departure"?

"After his return" refers to events that happen once someone has come back, whereas "before his departure" refers to events leading up to someone leaving. They describe opposite ends of a journey or period away.