Thereafterthen

Thereafterthen is a neologism that blends thereafter and then into a single unit. It is used mainly in online writing and experimental fiction to signal a period or moment following a defined turning point, with emphasis on the sequence that follows.

Etymology: The term is a portmanteau of thereafter and then, reflecting its function as a time marker that points to what comes after a specific event or decision.

Meaning and usage: Thereafterthen operates as a post-event timing device rather than a standard grammatical adverb. It can indicate a post-point phase in which later developments unfold in a way that contrasts with earlier expectations. Because it is informal and nonstandard, it appears chiefly in creative writing, blogs, and discussion threads rather than in formal prose. It is often used to foreground continuity or change after a named point.

Examples: In fiction, an author might write, “The city fell into quiet chaos; thereafterthen, the council imposed emergency powers.” In analysis or critique, a reader might note that thereafterthen signals a stylistic pivot toward subsequent consequences rather than immediate outcomes.

Variants and orthography: The term is most commonly written as a single word, thereafterthen. Some writers may separate it as “thereafter then” or hyphenate as “thereafter-then,” but such forms are nonstandard and less widely recognized.

See also: Thereafter; Henceforth; From then on; Time indicators in narrative.

Notes: Thereafterthen is not widely standardized and remains primarily a fringe or experimental coinage. Its recognition and usage vary across communities and genres.