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then and there

Idioms

Also, there and then. At that precise time and place; on the spot. For example, When the board questioned his judgment again, he resigned then and there. The first term was first recorded in 1442, the variant in 1496.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

then and there

Walking into a room with six immigration agents, she was told to put her hands behind back and prepare to be arrested, right then and there.

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

And they had vowed then and there to never associate with this terrible man again.

From Slate ● Feb. 4, 2026

Afterward, “she decided right then and there, ‘I’m going to become a police officer,’” he told the outlet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025

Constitutionally, I was born equal to all the other babies born then and there.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2025

When he heard that Theseus was pursuing him, instead of hurrying away he turned around and went to meet him, with the intention, of course, of deciding then and there which was the better man.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023