after a fashion

1 6.1

In a way that works a little but not very well

idiom

Informal

: de alguna manera

She understood the concept, after a fashion, but still had trouble applying it in practice.

And yes, some time that we spend on our phones is social after a fashion.

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Examples

Most good short stories really pursue one idea from beginning to end, setting up a conflict early in the story and resolving it (after a fashion) in the end.

Blog text (4)
And she was, after a fashion, experiencing such plenty.

Fiction book (1995)
It's rational and fair after a fashion; however, it's not without consequences.

Blog text (27)
Judges do, after a fashion, reflect popular opinion.

Academic text (2010)
He was alive, after a fashion, but without flesh.

Fiction book (1991)
The old system, they argue, however corrupt and inefficient, worked after a fashion.

Academic text (1992)
Gus too, after a fashion—so it was doubly unfair.

Fiction book (1995)
He managed to finish the project on time, after a fashion, as it still had some issues.
The team won the match, after a fashion, since they only scored one goal against the other team's five.

Synonyms

sort of

vsafter a fashion

Informal

∞ 2.1

To some degree but not completely

is more about poor ability rather than mere uncertainty of degree

fairly

vsafter a fashion

895 1.0

To some degree but not very much

is used when performance is limited and regarded as not very good

in part

vsafter a fashion

374 2.2

To some degree but not completely

is focused on inadequate quality rather than just partial extent

passably

vsafter a fashion

1 4.6

Good enough to do the job but not very good

is more negative and means only somewhat and not very good

Antonyms

not at all

331 1.0

In no way

How Well

well

∞ 1.0

adequately

83 3.0

after a fashion

Informal

1 6.1

poorly

283 1.4

Surface Forms

after a fashion positive

Morphology

after + a + fashion

The components 'after' (here functioning like 'in accordance with') and 'fashion' (manner, way) allow a learner to infer a meaning close to 'in a manner' or 'to some extent', so much of the phrase is compositional. However, the evaluative nuance implying 'not very well' and the somewhat archaic/idiomatic use of 'after' are not fully predictable from the parts, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

After a fashion comes from an older use where fashion meant 'way' and after meant 'in'. So it originally meant 'in a certain way', and today it is used to say something is true only 'to some extent' or not very well.