Then vs Than | Difference, Meaning & Examples
“Then” and “than” are commonly confused words because they sound and look similar. But their meanings are quite different.
- Then shows a time frame or a consequence.
- Than shows a comparison between two or more things, as in “more than” or “less than.”
| Then in a sentence | Than in a sentence |
|---|---|
| The Beatles released “Hey Jude” in 1968, and it was a huge hit back then. | Lake George is much cleaner than Lake Michigan. |
| If you have a deadline tomorrow, then you shouldn’t go to the party tonight. | The Barbie Movie was more interesting to me than Mean Girls. |
Then for a time frame
One of the main uses for “then” is to show a time frame or order of events. When “then” indicates time, it can be an adverb, noun, or adjective.
| Part of speech | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adverb | Next or soon after | The storm lasted for several hours, and then a double rainbow appeared.
First, bring the water to a boil. Then, add the pasta. |
| At that time | Bert spent a lot of time with his family in 2018 because he didn’t have a full-time job then. | |
| Noun | That time | Seth Rogan began his acting career with the 1999 show Freaks and Geeks, and since then, he’s starred in many movies. |
| Adjective | From the time mentioned | In 1976, Bob Dylan wrote a song about his then wife Sara. |
Then for a consequence
You can also use “then” as an adverb to show a consequence or outcome. This meaning is similar to “in that case.”
If we leave for the concert by 7 o’clock, then we can see the opening act.
Than for comparison
Use “than” when you’re comparing two or more things or ideas. “Than” means “in comparison to,” and it’s usually a conjunction.
“Than” is always followed by another word or phrase that’s part of the comparison. It also goes after words such as “more,” “less,” “other,” “rather,” comparative adjectives, and comparative adverbs.
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| More | Atlanta has more traffic than Savannah. |
| Less | Green tea has less caffeine than coffee. |
| Other | Carlos has no plans for winter break other than visiting family. |
| Rather | Some students prefer evening classes rather than morning classes. |
| Comparative adjective | The second chapter is several pages longer than the first chapter.
The band’s encore was more exciting than the rest of the concert. Balcony tickets are less expensive than front row tickets. |
| Comparative adverb | Rob plays banjo more proficiently than Kyle. |
Use object pronouns after “than” when the people you’re comparing are both direct objects of the verb.
- My daughter resembles her dad more than I.
- My daughter resembles her dad more than me.
Use subject pronouns when the people are subjects that perform the action in the sentence.
- Dorothy has met more celebrities than me.
- Dorothy has met more celebrities than I [have].
Other than or other then
“Other than” is an idiom that means “except” or “besides.” It always uses “than” instead of “then.”
More then or more than
In most cases, “more than” is correct because “more” is usually part of a comparison.
However, there is an exception. Use “more then” when you mean “more at that time.”
Rather than or then
“Rather than” means “instead of,” and it uses “than.” This phrase indicates a preference between two nouns, verbs, adverbs, or adjectives.
Rather than cooking, I ordered takeout.
Mariah prefers to sing loudly rather than quietly.
I prefer neighbors who are talkative rather than quiet.
In rare instances, you could also say “If (someone) would rather, then,” which means “if they would prefer in that case.”
Frequently asked questions about then vs than
- Is it better then or better than?
-
The correct phrase is “better than” when you’re making a comparison, as in “Ice cream tastes better than yogurt.” Always use “than” when you mean “in comparison to.”
Only use “better then” when you mean “better at that time” (e.g., “We took photographs in the evening because the light was better then”).
When you’re unsure about using then or than, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid mistakes.
- Is it more than ever or more then ever?
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The correct choice is “more than ever” because “than” goes with comparison words like “more” (e.g., “After her first week in the dorms, Darcy appreciated her mother’s cooking more than ever”).
Use “than” when you could also say “in comparison to.”
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid then vs than mistakes in your writing.
- Is it no later then or than?
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The correct version is “no later than” (e.g., “We will leave the house no later than noon for the 2 o’clock flight”).
“No later than” compares two different times, and “than” is the right word for comparisons.
A QuillBot Grammar Check can also help ensure you’re using than or then correctly.
- Is it longer then or than?
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The correct phrase is “longer than” when you’re comparing two lengths, as in “Tolkien’s novel The Fellowship of the Ring is longer than The Hobbit.”
Only use “longer then” when you mean “longer at that time” (e.g., “I usually wore braids as a child because my hair was longer then”).
When you’re unsure whether then or than is the correct choice, a QuillBot Grammar Check can help you avoid mistakes.
- Is it earlier then or than?
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The correct phrase is “earlier than” when you mean “earlier in comparison to” (e.g., “Daphne always wakes up earlier than Percy”).
Only use “earlier then” when you mean “earlier at that time” (e.g., “I rarely sleep late during summer because the sun rises earlier then”).
When you’re unsure about then or than, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid mistakes.
