then

Name: then, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ðɛn/

//ðɛn// adv

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“then” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #91 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#91
frequency rank, English: 4
letters: 6
tracked misspellings: 20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - At that time.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

then vs TN

0% similar

then vs tie

50% similar

then vs tho

50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for then
Property	Value
Headword	then
Language	English
Part of speech	Adverb
IPA	/ðɛn/
Letters	4
Frequency rank	#91
Misspellings tracked	6
Confusable pairs	20
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “then” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). then lands here:

#91

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for then is 4 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ðɛn/. Corpus data places it at rank #91 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for then, with forms such as "hten", "tehn", and "thenn". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "TN", "tie", "tho", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English then(ne), than(ne), from Old English þonne, þanne, þænne (“then, at that time”), from Proto-West Germanic *þan, from Proto-Germanic *þan (“at that (time), then”), from earlier *þam, from Proto-Indo-European *tóm, accusative masculine of … The correct English form is then, spelled T-H-E-N.

Definition

1
At that time.
2
Soon afterward.
3
Next in order of place.
4
In addition; also; besides.
5
In that case.
6
At the same time; on the other hand.
7
Used to contradict an assertion.

Etymology

From Middle English then(ne), than(ne), from Old English þonne, þanne, þænne (“then, at that time”), from Proto-West Germanic *þan, from Proto-Germanic *þan (“at that (time), then”), from earlier *þam, from Proto-Indo-European *tóm, accusative masculine of *só (“demonstrative pronoun, that”). Cognate with Dutch dan (“then”), German dann (“then”), Swedish då (“then”), Icelandic þá (“then”). Doublet of than.

Synonyms

at the time back in the dayand thenand sosubsequently soand thenfollowed by accordingly as a result therefore concurrently therewhile simultaneously ensuingly followingly hereafter syne then

Antonyms

before previouslyprior to

This word in other languages

entonces(Español)alors(Français)dann(Deutsch)então(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hten,tehn,thenn,thhen,thne,tthen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of then - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

Edit distance from "then"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "then"?

"then" is spelled T-H-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ðɛn/.

What does "then" mean?

As an adverb, "then" means: At that time.

What words are commonly confused with "then"?

"then" is commonly confused with "TN", "tie", "tho". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "then"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "then" is /ðɛn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "then"?

From Middle English then(ne), than(ne), from Old English þonne, þanne, þænne (“then, at that time”), from Proto-West Germanic *þan, from Proto-Germanic *þan (“at that (time), then”), from earlier *þam, from Proto-Indo-European *tóm, accusative mas... See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “then”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is T-H-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ðɛn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “TN” - see the side-by-side comparison. then vs TN
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.