than

conjunction
UK: /ðæn/
US: /ðæn/

  1. Used to compare two things.

    1. She is taller than me. [ ] [ ]
    2. This car is much faster than the one I had before, and it's cheaper too. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used after words expressing preference.

    1. I like tea more than coffee. [ ] [ ]
    2. He would rather work from home than commute to the office every day, but his boss disagrees. [ ] [ ]

  3. Used to indicate a difference in amount or degree.

    1. It costs more than I thought. [ ] [ ]
    2. The project took far longer than anticipated, and the budget was exceeded. [ ] [ ]

  4. Used to introduce an exception or alternative.

    1. It is better to be safe than sorry. [ ] [ ]
    2. Rather than complain about the situation, he decided to take action and find a solution. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

as compared to
than preposition

  1. Used after 'no', 'other', or 'rather'.

    1. I had no choice other than to agree. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company faced no alternative other than to declare bankruptcy after years of decline. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "than" in English means: Used to compare two things., Used after words expressing preference., Used to indicate a difference in amount or degree., Used to introduce an exception or alternative..

The phonetic transcription of "than" is /ðæn/ in British English and /ðæn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "than": as, compared to.

Example usage of "than": "She is taller than me.". More examples on the page.