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since then
/sɪns ðɛn/
from that time onward
She moved to Paris in 2020 and has lived there ever since.
The action of moving to Paris happened in 2020, and the result (living there) continues to the present.
neutral
from a particular time in the past until now
He started learning French in high school, and he has been fluent since then.
His fluency began after learning French in high school and continues to the present.
The company was founded in 1995. Since then, it has expanded to 20 countries.
The expansion occurred after the company's founding in 1995 and continues up to now.
Used to indicate a continuous state or action that began at a specific past time and persists to the present. Often follows a past event or action.
Collocations
ever sincefrom that time until now, often emphasizing continuityfrom then onstarting at that time and continuing afterward
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Mistake: Tense Usage
After 'since then', use present perfect or present perfect continuous tense to show ongoing action: 'She has worked here since then' (correct) vs. 'She worked here since then' (incorrect).
Gold Rule
Position in Sentence
'Since then' usually appears at the end of a sentence or clause that introduces the past event. Example: 'He graduated in 2010. Since then, he has been working as a teacher.'
Word Origin
Combination of the preposition 'since' (from Old English 'sithan', meaning 'after that') and the adverb 'then' (from Old English 'þonne', meaning 'at that time'). The phrase emerged in Middle English as a way to link past events to present consequences.
Usage Notes
1. 'Since then' is always used in reference to a past event that has ongoing relevance. 2. It typically appears at the end of a sentence or clause that establishes the past event. 3. Do not confuse with 'since' as a conjunction (e.g., 'Since you're here, let's start').
Word Breakdown
since
from a past time until now
prepositionthen
at that time
adverbEnglish Dictionary