Then vs. Next — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 27, 2023
Then refers to a specific time or sequence, while Next points to the immediate successor in time or order.
Difference Between Then and Next
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Then and Next are both temporal indicators but vary in their nuanced applications. Then is often used to mark a point in time or a sequence. For instance, "She graduated in 2010; then she began her career." The word sets a chronological marker or emphasizes the subsequent action.
In contrast, Next zeroes in on the immediate follower in a sequence or time. If you were listing activities for the day, you might say, "First, we'll have breakfast, next is our team meeting." This use of Next introduces what's directly after the current point of reference.
Additionally, Then carries versatility, stretching beyond sequence. It can imply causality or conditionality, as in "If it's sunny, then we'll have a picnic." Meanwhile, Next maintains a narrower focus, almost always highlighting direct succession without the layered meanings that Then might possess.
When observing temporal relations, Then could reflect past, present, or future contexts, hinting at a moment relative to another. In a different shade, Next firmly looks forward, whether forecasting the imminent future or indicating the successor in a lineup.
Comparison Chart
Primary Usage
Denotes time or sequence
Signifies immediate successor
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Temporal Range
Can be past, present, or future
Primarily future-focused
Indication of Causality
Can imply cause or condition
Does not convey causality
Independence in Usage
Often paired with a prior event or condition
Can indicate immediate following without prior context
Contextual Flexibility
Versatile in sequences, conditions, and time frames
Specific to immediate successors or upcoming events
Compare with Definitions
Then
At a specific time.
I was at the store then.
Next
Immediately following in time or order.
See you next week.
Then
Following in sequence or time.
We ate dinner, then watched a movie.
Next
Nearest in place or position.
The next house is blue.
Then
Indicating result or consequence.
If you don't study, then you might fail.
Next
In the time directly after the present.
What's our next appointment?
Then
Compared to now.
Things were different back then.
Next
Nearest in space or position; adjacent
The next room.
Then
Moreover; besides.
It's expensive, and then there's the tax.
Next
Immediately following, as in time, order, or sequence
Next week.
The next item on the list.
Then
At that time; at the time in question
He accepted a peerage from the then Prime Minister, Edward Heath
Phoebe by then was exhausted
I was living in Cairo then
Next
In the time, order, or place nearest or immediately following
Reading this book next.
Our next oldest child.
Then
After that; next; afterwards
She won the first and then the second game
Next
On the first subsequent occasion
When next I write.
Then
In that case; therefore
If you do what I tell you, then there's nothing to worry about
Well, that's okay then
Next
The next person or thing
The next will be better.
Then
At that time
I was still in school then. Come at noon.
I'll be ready then.
Next
In place or position, having nothing similar intervening; adjoining.
The man in the next bunk kept me awake all night with his snoring.
She lives a mile or two away, in the next village.
Then
Next in time, space, or order; immediately afterward
Watched the late movie and then went to bed.
Next
(obsolete) Most direct, or shortest or nearest in distance or time.
Then
In addition; moreover; besides
It costs $20, and then there's the sales tax to pay.
Next
Nearest in order, succession, or rank; immediately following (or sometimes preceding) in order.
Please turn to the next page.
On Wednesday next, I'm going to Spain.
The next chapter; the next week; the Sunday next before Easter
The man was driven by his love for money and his desire to become the next Bill Gates.
Then
Used after but to qualify or balance a preceding statement
The star was nervous, but then who isn't on the first night of a new play.
Next
Nearest in relationship. next of kin.}}
Next friend
Then
In that case; accordingly
If traffic is heavy, then allow extra time.
Next
Denotes the one immediately following the current or most recent one.
Next week would be a good time to meet.
I'll know better next time.
Then
As a consequence; therefore
The case, then, is closed.
Next
(of days of the week or months of the year) Closest in the future, or closest but one if the closest is very soon; of days, sometimes thought to specifically refer to the instance closest to seven days (one week) in the future.
The party is next Tuesday; that is, not tomorrow, but eight days from now.
When you say next Thursday, do you mean Thursday this week or Thursday next week?
Then
Usage Problem And after that
I showered, then combed my hair.
Next
In a time, place, rank or sequence closest or following.
They live in the next closest house.
It's the next best thing to ice cream.
Then
That time or moment
The bus leaves at four.
Until then let's walk.
Next
(conjunctive) So as to follow in time or sequence something previously mentioned.
First we removed all the handles; next, we stripped off the old paint.
Then
Being so at that time
The then chairman of the board.
Next
On the first subsequent occasion.
Financial panic, earthquakes, oil spills, riots. What comes next?
When we next meet, you'll be married.
Then
(temporal location) At that time.
He was happy then.
Next
On the side of; nearest or adjacent to; next to.
Then
(temporal location) Soon afterward.
He fixed it, then left.
Turn left, then right, then right again, then keep going until you reach the service station.
Next
The one that follows after this one.
Next, please, don't hold up the queue!
One moment she was there, the next she wasn't.
The week after next
Then
(sequence) Next in order of place.
There are three green ones, then a blue one.
Next
Nearest in place; having no similar object intervening.
Her princely guestWas next her side; in order sat the rest.
Fear followed me so hard, that I fled the next way.
Then
In addition; also; besides.
Next
Nearest in time; as, the next day or hour.
Then
(conjunctive) In that case.
If it’s locked, then we’ll need the key.
Is it 12 o'clock already? Then it's time for me to leave.
You don't like potatoes? What do you want me to cook, then?
Next
Adjoining in a series; immediately preceding or following in order.
None could tell whose turn should be the next.
Then
(sequence) At the same time; on the other hand.
That’s a nice shirt, but then, so is the other one.
Next
Nearest in degree, quality, rank, right, or relation; as, the next heir was an infant.
The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
Then
Used to contradict an assertion.
Next
In the time, place, or order nearest or immediately succeeding; as, this man follows next.
Then
Being so at that time.
Next
Nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space;
Had adjacent rooms
In the next room
The person sitting next to me
Our rooms were side by side
Then
That time
It will be finished before then.
Next
(of elected officers) elected but not yet serving;
Our next president
Then
Obsolete spelling of than
Next
Immediately following in time or order;
The following day
Next in line
The next president
The next item on the list
Then
At that time (referring to a time specified, either past or future).
And the Canaanite was then in the land.
Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Next
At the time or occasion immediately following;
Next the doctor examined his back
Then
Soon afterward, or immediately; next; afterward.
First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Next
Following in a sequence or list.
Who's next?
Then
At another time; later; again.
One while the master is not aware of what is done, and then in other cases it may fall out to be own act.
But that opinion, I trust, by then this following argument hath been well read, will be left for one of the mysteries of an indulgent Antichrist.
Next
Right after the present one.
The next chapter is my favorite.
Then
Than.
Then
In that case; in consequence; as a consequence; therefore; for this reason.
If all this be so, then man has a natural freedom.
Now, then, be all thy weighty cares away.
Then
That time; that moment;
We will arrive before then
We were friends from then on
Then
At a specific prior time;
The then president
Then
Subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors);
Then he left
Go left first, then right
First came lightning, then thunder
We watched the late movie and then went to bed
And so home and to bed
Then
In that case or as a consequence;
If he didn't take it, then who did?
Keep it then if you want to
The case, then, is closed
You've made up your mind then?
Then you'll be rich
Then
At that time;
I was young then
Prices were lower back then
Science as it was then taught
Common Curiosities
How does Next typically function in a sentence?
Next indicates the immediate follower in time or sequence.
How does Next relate to location?
It can denote immediate adjacency, like the "next room."
Is Next always about the future?
Mostly, but it can also denote order, like the "next item on the list."
Can Then and Next be used interchangeably?
Not usually, as their nuances differ.
Can Then compare two different times?
Yes, as in "Things are better now than then."
In which contexts is Then commonly used?
Then is used to denote time, sequence, or consequence.
Can Then express conditionality?
Yes, for example, "If you're ready, then we can leave."
Is Then used in hypothetical situations?
Yes, often in "if... then..." structures.
Does Then always require a preceding event?
Often, but not always. It can also indicate a specific past time.
How do Then and Next relate in sequences?
Then suggests a following event, while Next points to the immediate successor.
Does Next have conditional connotations?
No, it mainly points to direct succession.
Can Then be used retrospectively?
Yes, it can reference a specific point in the past.
How does Next function in lists?
It indicates the direct follower in the list.
Do Then and Next both imply a sense of order?
Yes, but Then can also indicate time, and Next stresses immediacy.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
