1
: at that time
2
a
: soon after that : next in order of time
walked to the door, then turned
b
: following next after in order of position, narration, or enumeration : being next in a series
first came the clowns, and then came the elephants
c
: in addition : besides
then there is the interest to be paid
3
a
: as a necessary consequence
if the angles are equal, then the complements are equal
b(1)
: in that case
take it, then, if you want it so much
(2)
—used after but to qualify or offset a preceding statement
she lost the race, but then she never really expected to win
c
: according to that : as may be inferred
your mind is made up, then
d
: as it appears : by way of summing up
the cause of the accident, then, is established
: that time
since then, he's been more cautious
: existing or acting at or belonging to the time mentioned
the then secretary of state
Synonyms
Examples of then in a Sentence
Adverb
She lived in the Soviet Union, as it then was called.
Just then he walked in.
Back then, he was living in New York.
Noun
Since then, I've been more careful.
He advised me to wait until then.
They'll announce their decision next week. Until then, she'll just have to hope for the best.
We should get there before then.
They were friends from then on.
Nothing like that had ever happened up to then.
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Recent Examples on the Web
WIRED, 19 Nov. 2023
The work is Sisyphean: Move the pile from one spot this week, then go through the whole process again a week later.
—John Leland, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2023
Dispatchers then heard the caller fire a single gunshot.
—Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Nov. 2023
Blige then spoke about what the moment meant to her, eschewing her prepared speech for heartfelt and impassioned words from the heart.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Nov. 2023
Officers then presented Thompson with documents that said the state had been granted an order of custody, the incident report said.
—Antonio Planas, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2023
Faced with growing privacy fears at home and emerging national security threats abroad, Congress took stock of the situation and then resigned to split the baby.
—WIRED, 7 Nov. 2023
Back in April, the actor told ABC News‘ Diane Sawyer that his jaw was then being held together with rubber bands and screws.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Nov. 2023
The jeans are more fitted at the thigh and then taper out at the ends for a leg-elongating effect.
—Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 7 Nov. 2023
John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 14 Mar. 2023
As soon as Lovato sat down with the then owners and learned about the building’s history, he was hooked.
—Brayden Garcia, Dallas News, 28 Jan. 2021
Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Oct. 2023
But his contract was allowed to expire Dec. 31 after the parents of Gio Reyna, unhappy with their son’s playing time, reported to U.S. Soccer and then went public with details of a 30-year-old domestic violence incident involving Berhalter and his then-girlfriend, now wife, Rosalind.
—Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
In 2020 Beijing imposed a national-security law on Hong Kong in violation of its 1984 treaty with Britain that turned over control of its then colony to China in 1997.
—The Editorial Board, wsj.com, 14 Apr. 2023
While under investigation, McGrath moved to Florida and bought a house in a gated community with his then-girlfriend.
—Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
That all ended in 2010, when a grand jury indicted Alarcon and his then-wife on charges of voter fraud.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023
Paltrow and her kids were there that day at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, to have a mixer with Paltrow's then-boyfriend and now-husband Brad Falchuk and his two kids to see how their families blended.
—Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2023
Rebecca recruited close friends and family to be on the lookout for shoes in his then-size 17, and for larger sizes in anticipation of future growth.
—Susan Bromley, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2023
Greg Allman came to one dinner with his then wife, Cher, who mistook a finger bowl for a drink and downed it.
—Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2023
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Adverb
But if bacteria attack host cells indirectly (such as by secreting proteins that go on to harm host cells), then a larger dose of bacteria is necessary to infect the host, since the host-modifying secretions could be diluted by time and space.
—WIRED, 19 Nov. 2023
The work is Sisyphean: Move the pile from one spot this week, then go through the whole process again a week later.
—John Leland, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2023
Dispatchers then heard the caller fire a single gunshot.
—Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Nov. 2023
Blige then spoke about what the moment meant to her, eschewing her prepared speech for heartfelt and impassioned words from the heart.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 8 Nov. 2023
Officers then presented Thompson with documents that said the state had been granted an order of custody, the incident report said.
—Antonio Planas, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2023
Faced with growing privacy fears at home and emerging national security threats abroad, Congress took stock of the situation and then resigned to split the baby.
—WIRED, 7 Nov. 2023
Back in April, the actor told ABC News‘ Diane Sawyer that his jaw was then being held together with rubber bands and screws.
—Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Nov. 2023
The jeans are more fitted at the thigh and then taper out at the ends for a leg-elongating effect.
—Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 7 Nov. 2023
Noun
But don’t give me thens and nows.
—John Archibald | Jarchibald@al.com, al, 14 Mar. 2023
As soon as Lovato sat down with the then owners and learned about the building’s history, he was hooked.
—Brayden Garcia, Dallas News, 28 Jan. 2021
Adjective
Both land grants were issued by the then governors of Mexican California, Pio Pico and Manuel Micheltorena.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Oct. 2023
But his contract was allowed to expire Dec. 31 after the parents of Gio Reyna, unhappy with their son’s playing time, reported to U.S. Soccer and then went public with details of a 30-year-old domestic violence incident involving Berhalter and his then-girlfriend, now wife, Rosalind.
—Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
In 2020 Beijing imposed a national-security law on Hong Kong in violation of its 1984 treaty with Britain that turned over control of its then colony to China in 1997.
—The Editorial Board, wsj.com, 14 Apr. 2023
While under investigation, McGrath moved to Florida and bought a house in a gated community with his then-girlfriend.
—Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
That all ended in 2010, when a grand jury indicted Alarcon and his then-wife on charges of voter fraud.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2023
Paltrow and her kids were there that day at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, to have a mixer with Paltrow's then-boyfriend and now-husband Brad Falchuk and his two kids to see how their families blended.
—Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2023
Rebecca recruited close friends and family to be on the lookout for shoes in his then-size 17, and for larger sizes in anticipation of future growth.
—Susan Bromley, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2023
Greg Allman came to one dinner with his then wife, Cher, who mistook a finger bowl for a drink and downed it.
—Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'then.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adverb
Middle English than, then then, than, from Old English thonne, thænne; akin to Old High German denne then, than, Old English thæt that
First Known Use
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1584, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of then was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing then
Dictionary Entries Near then
Cite this Entry
“Then.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/then. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
then
1 of 3 adverb1
: at that time
it was then believed the world was flat
2
: soon after that
walked to the door, then turned
3
a
: following next after in order
first came the clowns, then came the elephants
b
: in addition : besides
then there are the pots and pans to wash
4
a
: in that case
take it, then, if you want it so much
b
: according to that
your mind is made up, then
c
: as it appears
the case, then, is closed
d
: as a necessary result
if you were there, then you saw me
then
2 of 3 nounˈt͟hen
: that time
wait until then
then
3 of 3 adjectiveˈt͟hen
: existing or acting at or belonging to the time mentioned
the then governor
More from Merriam-Webster on then
Nglish: Translation of then for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of then for Arabic Speakers
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