then and there

Idioms  

1. 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.

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Example Sentences

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

Judge Summers responded to what’s ordinarily a pro forma motion before handing the case to the jury and, instead, issued what’s known as a directed verdict of acquittal, ending the case single-handedly, then and there.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 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

I almost confessed everything right then and there because Papa was paying attention and he’d thought to ask, unlike another parent I have.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon