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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Juliana Liu, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
Hurricane Ernesto: Struck Puerto Rico on Aug. 24 with significant flooding, then hit Bermuda.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
John Archibald | [email protected], 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
Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2024
In the picture, however, Johnson is seated at a table with two men and his then fiancée, Carrie Symonds, who is holding the couple’s new baby.
—Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for then 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
The tycoon then retreated from public life, and Beijing began a fierce crackdown on the tech sector.
—Juliana Liu, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
Hurricane Ernesto: Struck Puerto Rico on Aug. 24 with significant flooding, then hit Bermuda.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
But don’t give me thens and nows.
—John Archibald | [email protected], 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
Like many restaurant people put out of work during the pandemic, the couple turned to their own creativity to get by, selling tacos out of their then apartment in Harlem.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2024
In the picture, however, Johnson is seated at a table with two men and his then fiancée, Carrie Symonds, who is holding the couple’s new baby.
—Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for then
Dictionary Entries Near then
Cite this Entry
“Then.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/then. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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