The meaning of THEN is at that time. How to use then in a sentence.

He's always harking back to his childhood and saying how things were better then. Just then, the lights went out. The train leaves at three minutes to eight, so we'd better get there a few minutes before …

1. at that time: Prices were lower then. 2. immediately or soon afterward: The rain stopped and then started again. 3. next in order of time or place: We ate, then we started home.

Mar 20, 2026 · He had met his then girlfriend when he had just started university. The relationship ended unhappily when the girlfriend complained that he never wanted to go out.

Then definition: Next in time, space, or order; immediately afterward.

Then being; being at that time. At that time: referring to a time specified, either past or future. Afterward; next in order; soon afterward or immediately. At another time: as, now and then, at one time and …

Then is a very common word that’s used in situations involving what comes next—either in terms of time (as in Just then, the door opened or We saw a movie and then we drove home) or a result (as in If …

You use then at the beginning of a sentence or after `and' or `but' to introduce a comment or an extra piece of information to what you have already said. He sounded sincere, but then, he always did.

To keep this pair of words straight, focus on this basic difference: than is used when you're talking about comparisons; then is used when you're talking about something relating to time.

THEN meaning: 1 : at that time at the time mentioned; 2 : used to indicate what happened or happens next