in the wake of
phrase
1
: close behind and in the same path of travel
… missionaries arrived in the wake of conquistadors and soldiers …—Sabine MacCormack
2
: as a result of : as a consequence of
… power vacuums left in the wake of the Second World War.—Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
Cite this Entry
“In the wake of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20wake%20of. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.
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