English dictionary

there Meaning & Definition

/ðə(ɹ)/

What Does There Mean?

As an adverb, there means In or at a place or location (stated, implied or otherwise indicated) that is perceived to be away from, or at a relative distance from, the speaker (compare here). It can also mean At that point, stage, etc., visualised as a distinct place. As an interjection, it means Used to offer encouragement or sympathy; see also there, there and there now. As a noun, it means That place (previously mentioned or otherwise implied).

Quick Facts About There

Part of speech	adverb, interjection, noun, pronoun, contraction, determiner
Pronunciation	//ðə(ɹ)//
Syllables	1
Synonyms	thither, at that place and in that location
Antonyms	here and hither
Plural	theres

There Definition (Adverb)

In or at a place or location (stated, implied or otherwise indicated) that is perceived to be away from, or at a relative distance from, the speaker (compare here).
I know Bristol quite well as I used to live there.
At that point, stage, etc., visualised as a distinct place.
He did not stop there, but continued his speech.
In a notional place where one will provide support or care; see also be there.
You know that I will always be there for you.
In existence in some place.
I know that aliens are there, somewhere.
In its correct position, so as to be fully and properly fitted or inserted.
If I just push this in here like this, it should .... Ah! Good! It's there!
After the name of a person perceived as located 'away' from the speaker, used familiarly to indicate that person.
Jim there has been with the company for twenty years.
After certain determiners, especially 'them', 'that' and 'those', used to emphasise demonstrative sense; see also them there.
Your dog's been a-chasin' those there chickens.
In a notional place or situation of mental soundness and competence; see also all there.
I spoke to her, but she didn't make much sense. I don't think she's totally there.
To or into a place or location; thither.
I've never been to Disneyland. Can we go there?
Into an undesirable topic or subject matter; see also go there.
He started to talk about ... you know ... and I told him please don't go there.
In that matter, relation, etc..
You say that the president is a crook, and I certainly agree with you there.
Where, there where, in which place.
In this world: used to say that someone or something exists; see also pronoun section below.

There as an Interjection

Used to offer encouragement or sympathy; see also there, there and there now.
There, there. Everything is going to turn out all right.
Used to express victory or completion.
There! That knot should hold.

There as a Noun

That place (previously mentioned or otherwise implied).
We need someone to take us from here to there.
That situation; that position.
You rinse and de-string the green beans; I'll take it from there.

There as a Pronoun

Used as an expletive subject of be in its sense of "exist", with the semantic, usually indefinite subject being postponed or (occasionally) implied.
There are two apples on the table. [=Two apples are on the table.]
Used with other intransitive verbs of existence, in the same sense, or with other intransitive verbs, adding a sense of existence.
If x is a positive number, then there exists [=there is] a positive number y less than x.
Used with other verbs, when raised.
There seems to be some difficulty with the papers. [=It seems that there is some difficulty with the papers.]
That.
therefor, thereat, thereunder
Appended to words of greeting etc.
Hi there, young fellow.

There as a Contraction

Misspelling of they’re.

There as a Determiner

Misspelling of their.

Noun

That place.
That status; that position.
You rinse and de-string the green beans; I'll take it from there.

Adverb

(location) In a place or location (stated, implied or otherwise indicated) at some distance from the speaker (compare here).
In that matter, relation, etc.; at that point, stage, etc., regarded as a distinct place.
He did not stop there, but continued his speech.
(location) To or into that place; thither.
In existence or in this world; see pronoun section below.

Pronoun

(in combination with certain prepositions, no longer productive) That.
therefor, thereat, thereunder
Used to replace an unknown name, principally in greetings and farewells
Hi there, young fellow.

Interjection

Used to offer encouragement or sympathy.
There, there. Everything is going to turn out all right.

Synonyms of There

thither at that place in that location in that respect on that pointover thereaway thereyonder

There synonyms and antonyms →

Antonyms of There

here hither

There in a Sentence

I know Bristol quite well as I used to live there.

I looked in the cupboard and my keys were there!

The air there is beneficial to health.

I consulted Wikipedia, and it says there that he died in 1970.

The view up here is better than the view down there!

There's that book I've been looking for!

He did not stop there, but continued his speech.

They patched up their differences, but matters did not end there.

You know that I will always be there for you.

I know that aliens are there, somewhere.

If I just push this in here like this, it should .... Ah! Good! It's there!

Jim there has been with the company for twenty years.

Your dog's been a-chasin' those there chickens.

I spoke to her, but she didn't make much sense. I don't think she's totally there.

I've never been to Disneyland. Can we go there?

He started to talk about ... you know ... and I told him please don't go there.

You say that the president is a crook, and I certainly agree with you there.

There, there. Everything is going to turn out all right.

There! That knot should hold.

We need someone to take us from here to there.

You rinse and de-string the green beans; I'll take it from there.

There are two apples on the table. [=Two apples are on the table.]

There is no way to do it. [=No way to do it exists.]

Is there an answer? [=Does an answer exist?]

No, there isn't. [=No, one doesn't exist.]

There was just a bed, a wardrobe and some bookshelves.

If x is a positive number, then there exists [=there is] a positive number y less than x.

There remain several problems with this approach. [=Several problems remain with this approach.]

Once upon a time, in a now-forgotten kingdom, there lived a woodsman with his wife. [=There was a woodsman, who lived with his wife.]

There arose a great wind out of the east. [=There was now a great wind, arising in the east.]

There seems to be some difficulty with the papers. [=It seems that there is some difficulty with the papers.]

I expected there to be a simpler solution. [=I expected that there would be a simpler solution.]

There are beginning to be complications. [=It's beginning to be the case that there are complications.]

There aren't supposed to be two people at the post.

therefor, thereat, thereunder

Hi there, young fellow.

Oh, hello there, Bob, how are you doing?

So, Mom, what are you cooking there?

Word Forms & Grammar

there (not comparable)

there

there (plural theres)

Words That Rhyme With There

despair glare debonair bare declare affair flare fair welfare aware air square fare unaware blare flair threadbare rare snare spare impair prepare repair ensnare nightmare lair castle in the air tear err wear

Origin of There

Origin 1: From Middle English there, ther, thare, thar, thore, from Old English þēr, þǣr, þār (“there; at that place”), from Proto-West Germanic *þār, from Proto-Germanic *þar (“at that place; there”), from Proto-Indo-European *tó-r (“there”), from demonstrative pronominal base *to- (“the, that”) + adverbial suffix *-r.

Origin 2: Cognate with Scots thar, thair (“there”), North Frisian dear, deer, där (“there”), Saterland Frisian deer (“there”), West Frisian dêr (“there”), Dutch daar (“there”), Low German daar, dar, dor (“there”), German da, dar- (“there”), Danish der (“there”), Norwegian der (“there”), Swedish där (“there”), Icelandic þar (“in that place, there”).

There Pronunciation

The standard pronunciation of there is //ðə(ɹ)//, spoken in 1 syllable.

Frequently Asked Questions About There

Is there an adverb or an interjection?

There is mainly used as an adverb, but it can also be used as an interjection, a noun, a pronoun, a contraction and a determiner.

What is another word for there?

Words with a similar meaning to there include thither, at that place and in that location. See the full list of there synonyms and antonyms.