In vs. After — What's the Difference?

Used to indicate location or position within something.

Indicates pursuing or seeking.

Indicates inclusion within a group.

Conveys a sense of in pursuit of another.

Specifies a time during which something happens.

Used to describe something following in time.

Used to indicate the form or color of something.

Used in expressions of priority.

Denotes a state or condition.

Denotes subsequent to an event.

Expressing the situation of something that is or appears to be enclosed or surrounded by something else

In the time following (an event or another period of time)

Expressing a period of time during which an event happens or a situation remains the case

Behind

Expressing the length of time before a future event is expected to happen

In pursuit or quest of

(often followed by a noun without a determiner) expressing a state or condition

Next to and following in order or importance

Expressing inclusion or involvement

In allusion to (someone or something with the same or a related name)

Indicating someone's occupation or profession

During the period of time following (an event)

Indicating the language or medium used

During the period of time following (an event)

As an integral part of (an activity)

Later

Expressing a value as a proportion of (a whole)

Nearer the stern of a ship

Expressing movement with the result that someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else

Behind in place or order

Expressing the situation of being enclosed or surrounded by something

Next to or lower than in order or importance.

Expressing arrival

In quest or pursuit of

(of the tide) rising or at its highest level.

Concerning

Present at one's home or office

Subsequent in time to; at a later time than

Fashionable

Subsequent to and because of or regardless of

(of the ball in tennis and similar games) landing within the designated playing area.

Following continually

Batting

In the style of or in imitation of

A position of influence with someone powerful or famous

With the same or close to the same name as; in honor or commemoration of

Within the limits, bounds, or area of

According to the nature or desires of; in conformity to

From the outside to a point within; into

Past the hour of

To or at a situation or condition of

(Irish) Used with a present participle to indicate action that has just been completed

Having the activity, occupation, or function of

Behind; in the rear.

During the act or process of

At a later or subsequent time; afterward

With the arrangement or order of

Subsequent in time or place; later; following

After the style or form of

Located near the stern of a vessel or the rear or an aircraft or spacecraft.

With the characteristic, attribute, or property of

Following or subsequent to the time that

By means of

Afternoon.

Made with or through the medium of

Afters Chiefly British Dessert.

With the aim or purpose of

Behind; later in time; following.

With reference to

Subsequently to; following in time; later than.

Used to indicate the second and larger term of a ratio or proportion

Behind.

To or toward the inside

In pursuit of, seeking.

To or toward a destination or goal

In allusion to, in imitation of; following or referencing.

(Sports) So as to score, as by crossing home plate in baseball

Next in importance or rank.

Within a place, as of business or residence

As a result of.

So as to be available or under one's control

In spite of.

So as to include or incorporate

Used to indicate recent completion of an activity

So as to occupy a position of success or favor

(dated) According to an author or text.

In a particular relationship

Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to.

Located inside; inner.

(obsolete) According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting.

Incoming; inward

Signifies that the action of the clause it starts takes place before the action of the other clause.

Holding office; having power

(dated) Later; second (of two); next, following, subsequent

Currently fashionable

At or towards the stern of a ship.

Concerned with or attuned to the latest fashions

Next; later in time; subsequent; succeeding; as, an after period of life.

Relating to, understandable to, or coming from an exclusive group

Hinder; nearer the rear.

One that has position, influence, or power

Behind in place; as, men in line one after another.

(Informal) Influence; power

Below in rank; next to in order.

Used to indicate location, inclusion, or position within spatial, temporal or other limits.

Later in time; subsequent; as, after supper, after three days. It often precedes a clause. Formerly that was interposed between it and the clause.

Contained by.

Subsequent to and in consequence of; as, after what you have said, I shall be careful.

Within the bounds or limits of.

Subsequent to and notwithstanding; as, after all our advice, you took that course.

Surrounded by; among; amidst.

Moving toward from behind; following, in search of; in pursuit of.

Wearing (an item of clothing).

Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to; as, to look after workmen; to inquire after a friend; to thirst after righteousness.

Part of; a member of; out of; from among.

In imitation of; in conformity with; after the manner of; as, to make a thing after a model; a picture after Rubens; the boy takes after his father.

During (a period of time).

According to; in accordance with; in conformity with the nature of; as, he acted after his kind.

Within (a certain elapsed time); by the end of.

According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting.

At the end of (a period of time).

Subsequently in time or place; behind; afterward; as, he follows after.

Characterized by.

Located farther aft

Into.

Happening at a time subsequent to a reference time;

Used to indicate limit, qualification, condition, or circumstance.

Behind or in the rear;

Indicating an order or arrangement.

Denoting a state of the subject.

Indicates, connotatively, a place-like form of someone's (or something's) personality, as his, her or its psychic and physical characteristics.

Pertaining to; with regard to.

Used to indicate means, medium, format, genre, or instrumentality.

(of something offered or given in an exchange) In the form of, in the denomination of.

Used to indicate a language, script, tone, etc. of a text, speech, etc.

To enclose.

To take in; to harvest.

At or towards the interior of a defined space, such as a building or room.

Towards the speaker or other reference point.

So as to be enclosed or surrounded by something.

After the beginning of something.

(in combination, after a verb) Denotes a gathering of people assembled for the stated activity, sometimes, though not always, suggesting a protest.

A position of power or influence, or a way to get it.

One who, or that which, is in; especially, one who is in office.

(sport) The state of a batter/batsman who is currently batting; see innings.

A re-entrant angle; a nook or corner.

Abbreviation of inch; inches

(not comparable) Located indoors, especially at home or at one's office or place of work.

(not comparable) Located inside something.

Falling or remaining within the bounds of the playing area.

Inserted or fitted into something.

Having been collected or received.

In fashion; popular.

Incoming.

Furled or stowed.

Of the tide, at or near its highest level.

(legal) With privilege or possession; used to denote a holding, possession, or seisin

(cricket) Currently batting.

Having familiarity or involvement with somebody.

(informal) Having a favourable position, such as a position of influence or expected gain, in relation to another person.

(of fire or fuel) Burning; ablaze.

The specific signification of in is situation or place with respect to surrounding, environment, encompassment, etc. It is used with verbs signifying being, resting, or moving within limits, or within circumstances or conditions of any kind conceived of as limiting, confining, or investing, either wholly or in part. In its different applications, it approaches some of the meanings of, and sometimes is interchangeable with, within, into, on, at, of, and among.

With reference to space or place; as, he lives in Boston; he traveled in Italy; castles in the air.

With reference to circumstances or conditions; as, he is in difficulties; she stood in a blaze of light.

With reference to a whole which includes or comprises the part spoken of; as, the first in his family; the first regiment in the army.

With reference to physical surrounding, personal states, etc., abstractly denoted; as, I am in doubt; the room is in darkness; to live in fear.

With reference to character, reach, scope, or influence considered as establishing a limitation; as, to be in one's favor.

With reference to movement or tendency toward a certain limit or environment; - sometimes equivalent to into; as, to put seed in the ground; to fall in love; to end in death; to put our trust in God.

With reference to a limit of time; as, in an hour; it happened in the last century; in all my life.

Not out; within; inside. In, the preposition, becomes an adverb by omission of its object, leaving it as the representative of an adverbial phrase, the context indicating what the omitted object is; as, he takes in the situation (i. e., he comprehends it in his mind); the Republicans were in (i. e., in office); in at one ear and out at the other (i. e., in or into the head); his side was in (i. e., in the turn at the bat); he came in (i. e., into the house).

With privilege or possession; - used to denote a holding, possession, or seisin; as, in by descent; in by purchase; in of the seisin of her husband.

One who is in office; - the opposite of out.

A reëntrant angle; a nook or corner.

To inclose; to take in; to harvest.

A unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot

A rare soft silvery metallic element; occurs in small quantities in sphalerite

A state in midwestern United States

Holding office;

Directed or bound inward;

Currently fashionable;

To or toward the inside of;

Inside an enclosed space

"In" mainly functions as a preposition, but can also be an adverb.

Yes, "after" can serve as a conjunction, linking two clauses where the second follows the first.

"In" indicates occurrence during a specific timeframe, whereas "after" points to a sequence where one event follows another.

"After" is used to denote a period that follows another period or event.

Yes, "after" can indicate pursuit or priority in terms of importance.

Yes, "in" is often used to specify durations, like "in two hours."

An example is "She is in the choir," indicating membership.

"Quality comes after safety," illustrating that safety is prioritized first.

Yes, "in" can denote abstract states like "in love" or "in motion."

"After" conveys a temporal relationship where one event is dependent on the completion of another.

Yes, "in" is often used to refer to a physical location or space.

"In" can relate to durations by specifying the period during which an event occurs.

Yes, "after" can be used in contexts like "look after," which means to take care of.

"In" is more commonly used to discuss immediate settings or timings, while "after" is often used to talk about sequential events.

"After" helps in showing the order of events, enhancing the clarity of when things occur.