then

1 of 3

adverb

ˈt͟hen 

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

Note: Do not confuse then with than, which is used in comparisons ("younger than I am," "taller than me," "better than ever," "no one other than us," "beginning no sooner than I arrived").

see also and then some

then

2 of 3

noun

: that time

since then, he's been more cautious

then

3 of 3

adjective

: existing or acting at or belonging to the time mentioned

the then secretary of state

Synonyms of then

Adverb

• either
• also
• besides
• more

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Authorities then performed life-saving measures on the child before taking the infant to the hospital. —Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025

In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 Dec. 2025

Noun

But don’t give me thens and nows. —John Archibald | [e-mail], 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

According to the wrongful death complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Virgil was on the cruise to Ensenada, Mexico, with his fiancé, his then 7-year-old son and family members. —Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025

The 238-page book was compiled and given to Epstein as a gift for his 50th birthday by his then girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. —Julie K Brown, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025

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

Phrases Containing then

• and then again
• Back then
• but then
• but then again
• even now/then
• every now and then
• now and then
• since then
• then again
• then and there
• there and then
• what then

Rhymes for then

• ben
• bren
• chen
• den
• en
• gen
• glen
• hen
• jen
• ken
• men
• pen

Kids Definition

then

1 of 3 adverb

(ˈ)t͟hen 

1

: 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 noun

ˈt͟hen

: that time

wait until then

then

3 of 3 adjective

ˈt͟hen

: existing or acting at or belonging to the time mentioned

the then governor