almost immediately afterward

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost immediately afterward" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something happened very soon after a previous event. Example: "The meeting ended, and almost immediately afterward, the team began discussing the next steps."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

32 human-written examples

Almost immediately afterward, participation on the site started to decline.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A Vietnamese translation was available almost immediately afterward.

The New York Times

The government crackdown on protesters began almost immediately afterward.

The New York Times

Almost immediately afterward, Mr. Stevens apologized and called the ad a mistake.

The New York Times

Federer met the assembled reporters almost immediately afterward, a pattern consistent with his rare early exits at Grand Slam events.

The New York Times - Sports

Almost immediately afterward, more drastic changes were necessary in order to fulfill the demands of the composers.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

28 human-written examples

Almost immediately after Pres.

The New Yorker

The black participants who were tested before the vote performed worse than whites; those tested immediately afterward scored almost as well as whites.

The New York Times

Follow Eve Peyser on Twitter.

Vice

Immediately afterward, she opened the refrigerator door for almost three minutes.

The New York Times

Immediately afterward the North Stars unleashed, a quick break that almost scored, Danny Grant's shot going wide by inches and Danny O'Shea's follow‐up going right at Giacomin.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost immediately afterward" to clearly and concisely indicate that one event followed another with very little delay. This is useful for creating a sense of urgency or direct consequence in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using additional temporal adverbs that repeat the sense of immediacy. Phrases like "almost immediately afterward, then..." can be redundant and weaken the impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost immediately afterward" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to specify the timing of an action. It indicates that something happened very quickly following a previous event. Ludwig confirms its frequent usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Encyclopedias

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "almost immediately afterward" is a common and versatile adverbial phrase used to indicate a very short time span between two events. As confirmed by Ludwig, its grammatical status is correct, and it appears frequently in news, encyclopedias, and academic writing. While appropriate for various contexts, writers should be mindful of redundancy with other temporal adverbs. Related phrases like "very shortly thereafter" offer alternative ways to express the same idea with slight variations in formality or emphasis. By understanding its function and potential pitfalls, writers can effectively use "almost immediately afterward" to create clear and impactful prose.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

very shortly thereafter

Replaces "almost immediately" with "very shortly" and "afterward" with the more formal "thereafter".

soon after that

Uses simpler language, replacing "almost immediately" with "soon" and "afterward" with "after that".

directly following that

Emphasizes the direct sequence of events using "directly following".

in the immediate aftermath

Focuses on the period immediately following an event, using the noun phrase "immediate aftermath".

right on the heels of that

Employs a more idiomatic expression, "right on the heels of", to convey immediacy.

virtually instantaneously thereafter

Highlights the speed with "virtually instantaneously" and uses the more formal "thereafter".

practically at once afterward

Uses "practically at once" to indicate near-simultaneity.

almost at the same instant

Emphasizes the near-simultaneous nature of the events.

subsequent to that

A more general term indicating a following event, though less immediate.

in short order thereafter

Uses the idiom "in short order" to describe the quick succession.

FAQs

How can I use "almost immediately afterward" in a sentence?

Use "almost immediately afterward" to show that an event happened very soon after another. For example, "The announcement was made, and "almost immediately afterward", the stock prices surged."

What are some alternatives to "almost immediately afterward"?

Alternatives include "shortly thereafter", "soon after that", or "directly following that". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired tone.

Is there a difference between "almost immediately afterward" and "immediately afterward"?

"Almost immediately afterward" suggests a very short, but not necessarily instantaneous, delay. "Immediately afterward" implies an even shorter, virtually instantaneous, sequence.

Can I use "almost immediately afterward" in formal writing?

Yes, "almost immediately afterward" is suitable for formal writing. However, for even greater formality, consider "very shortly thereafter" or "subsequent to that".