Definition and pronunciation
postnuptial /ˌpoʊstˈnʌpʃəl/ — adjective meaning “occurring or made after a marriage,” especially in law (e.g., a postnuptial agreement).
Variants: post-nuptial (hyphenated). Informal noun: postnup (= postnuptial agreement).
Easy explanation
Postnuptial describes things that happen after a wedding. A postnuptial agreement is a contract spouses sign after they’re married to set rules about money, property, or what happens if they separate.
Grammatical formation
- Part of speech: adjective (postnuptial agreement/settlement/arrangement).
- Noun use (informal): “They signed a postnup.”
- Typical verbs: draft, sign, execute, revise, enforce, challenge, void.
- Typical subjects: spouses, a couple, the court; typical objects: agreement, settlement, contract.
- Register: legal/formal; in everyday speech people often say postnup.
Meanings and nuances
- After marriage in general usage (“postnuptial photos,” “postnuptial celebration”).
- Legal sense focused on agreements made after marriage that outline property, debt, support, and similar matters.
With prepositions and variants
- between X and Y: “a postnuptial agreement between the spouses”
- under/pursuant to: “rights under a postnuptial agreement”
- about/concerning: “a postnuptial agreement about property”
- hyphenation: both postnuptial and post-nuptial are accepted; the closed form is now common.
Common collocations
postnuptial agreement, postnup, postnuptial settlement, execute a postnuptial agreement, sign a postnup, enforce a postnuptial, challenge a postnup, financial disclosure, marital assets, separate property, community property, equitable distribution, spousal support, alimony waiver, sunset clause, no-fault divorce context, mediation clause
Idioms and neighboring expressions
prenuptial (prenup), antenuptial, marital agreement, separation agreement, marital settlement agreement (MSA), property regime, nuptial agreement, post-wedding arrangements
Word comparisons
- postnuptial vs prenuptial: postnuptial is after the wedding; prenuptial (prenup) is before.
- postnuptial vs separation agreement: a separation agreement typically governs living apart or ending the marriage; a postnuptial can be made while staying together.
- postnuptial vs marital settlement agreement: an MSA usually finalizes terms during/after divorce proceedings; a postnuptial is made during an intact marriage.
- postnuptial vs postmarital: near-synonyms; postnuptial is more common in legal collocations.
Real-life examples
- “They drafted a postnuptial agreement after one spouse started a business.”
- “The court enforced the postnup because both sides gave full financial disclosure.”
- “She added a sunset clause to their postnuptial so it expires after ten years.”
Sample sentences
- “We signed a postnuptial agreement once we bought the house.”
- “Their lawyer recommended a postnup to clarify business ownership.”
- “He tried to challenge the postnuptial for lack of disclosure.”
- “Some couples prefer a postnuptial after an inheritance changes finances.”
- “Under the postnup, the condo stays her separate property.”
- “They executed a post-nuptial settlement during counseling.”
- “The judge found the postnuptial unconscionable and refused to enforce it.”
- “A postnup can outline spousal support expectations.”
- “They revised their postnuptial after moving to a new state.”
- “The mediator proposed a simple postnuptial arrangement.”
Synonyms
postmarital, post-wedding, postnuptial agreement, postnup, marital agreement after marriage
Antonyms
prenuptial, prenup, antenuptial, premarital
Related terms
marriage, spouse, marital property, separate property, community property, equitable distribution, disclosure, consideration, alimony, spousal support, custody, mediation, arbitration clause, sunset clause, nuptial agreement, prenuptial agreement, separation agreement, marital settlement agreement
Connection to sexuality
Postnuptial is not a sexual term. It’s legal/relational, describing timing after marriage. Some postnuptial agreements address behavior (e.g., infidelity clauses), but the word itself has no sexual meaning.
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