then again

Idioms

Also, but then. On the other hand, an opposite possibility. For example, I think it'll arrive tomorrow; then again, it may not, or We think you'll like this restaurant, but then again, not everyone does, or The play was a bit dull, but then she's a great actress.

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.

The song so nice it charted twice — first in its mid-’60s studio incarnation then again as a hopped-up live cut from “Hot August Night.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

The latest unemployment print for recent college grads is a bit lower than the four-year high of 5.8% reported in April 2025 and then again in September, according to the NY Fed data.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Firstly in August 2021, and then again last year - just 16 days before his arrest outside the embassy.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

“Working in tech, you have to embrace it, but then again, how much can you trust it?” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

He never said he was, but then again, he never said he wasn’t.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

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