Phrase guide

one after another

adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adv

Meaning 1

In single file.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Individually, in a particular sequence or chronology.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Unrelentingly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • Once discipline broke down, problems came one after another.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

in single file

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the prisoners came out one by one

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: one by one, one at a time

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Dates back at least to Old English ān æfter ōþrum, of the same meaning.

Across languages

Translations

32 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 紛紛 /纷纷 (fēnfēn) — in single file
  • Chinese Mandarin: 先後 /先后 (xiānhòu) — in single file
  • Dutch: de een na de ander — in single file
  • Esperanto: unu post la alia — in single file
  • Finnish: yksi toisensa jälkeen — in single file
  • French: l'un après l'autre — in single file
  • German: nacheinander — in single file
  • Greek: αράδα (aráda) — in single file
  • Ancient Greek: ἑξῆς (hexês) — in single file
  • Ancient Greek: ἄλλος δι’ ἄλλου (állos di’ állou) — in single file
  • Hebrew: בַּזֶּה אֲחַר זֶה (bazé akhár zé) — in single file
  • Hungarian: egyik a másik után — in single file
  • Hungarian: egymás után — in single file
  • Hungarian: sorban — in single file
  • Hungarian: sorjában — in single file
  • Ingrian: peräjälkiä — in single file
  • Ingrian: perätystee — in single file
  • Irish: as a chéile — in single file
  • Italian: uno dopo l'altro — in single file
  • Japanese: 相次いで (aitsuide) — in single file
  • Japanese: 続々 (zokuzoku) — in single file
  • Japanese: 次々 (tsugitsugi) — in single file
  • Latin: deinceps — in single file
  • Old English: ān æfter ōþrum — in single file
  • Polish: jeden po drugim — in single file
  • Polish: jeden za drugim — in single file
  • Russian: оди́н за други́м (odín za drugím) — in single file
  • Spanish: uno detrás de otro — in single file
  • Spanish: uno después del otro — in single file
  • Spanish: una detrás de otra — in single file
  • Spanish: uno tras otro — in single file
  • Telugu: ఒకటొకటిగా (okaṭokaṭigā) — in single file