Words That Rhyme With "then" — Rhymes for Songwriters & Poets
'Then' belongs to the '-en' rhyme family, one of the most common and versatile sound families in English songwriting. It appears across pop, folk, country, and hip-hop as a temporal connector that anchors narrative storytelling and emotional turning points. Its understated simplicity gives it surprising emotional weight, often marking the moment when everything changes in a lyric.
What Rhymes With "then"?
Find rhymes for "then" — or search any word
Famous uses of "then" in music and poetry
What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
Gaye uses 'then' as a pivot word in verse transitions, pairing it with 'when' to create a call-and-response lyrical tension that mirrors the song's social questioning.
Then - Brad Paisley
Paisley builds the entire song around the word 'then,' using it as a perfect rhyme anchor with 'when' to trace love's growth through time - a masterclass in simple temporal rhyming.
Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys
Jay-Z employs 'then' in rapid-fire narrative bars, using near rhymes and flow variations to keep the word from feeling repetitive while driving the storytelling forward.
Frequently asked questions
What rhymes perfectly with then?
Perfect rhymes with 'then' include: when, men, ten, pen, den, yen, hen, zen, again, wren, amen, cayenne, fountain pen, and Ben. These share the clean '-en' ending and work across country storytelling, rap punchlines, and folk balladry. 'When' and 'again' are the most commonly paired in professional songwriting.
What are near rhymes for then?
Near rhymes include: again, end, bend, friend, tend, spend, blend, mend, fend, and lend. These words share a close but slightly shifted vowel or consonant and are especially useful in rap and indie folk where exact rhyme can feel too neat or forced.
What are slant rhymes for then?
Slant rhymes for 'then' include: rain, pain, same, lane, main, vain, chain, and remain. These work by approximating the nasal '-n' ending while shifting the vowel sound, giving a looser poetic feel favored in literary poetry and alternative song lyrics.
How do you use then in a rap song?
In rap, 'then' functions best as a narrative hinge - it signals a story shift or consequence. Pair it with 'when' for an AABB couplet, or use it as an internal rhyme anchor mid-bar. Multisyllabic extensions like 'and then again' or 'right then and there' open up more rhyme territory. Avoid ending too many bars with 'then' alone - it can feel flat without a strong preceding line.
What is the best rhyme scheme for then in poetry?
The ABAB and AABB schemes work excellently with 'then,' especially when paired with 'when' or 'again' on alternating lines. A couplet ending - 'I loved you then / I love you when' - creates a circular emotional loop. In free verse, 'then' works as an anaphoric opener ('Then the light broke, then the silence, then your name'), building rhythmic momentum without needing an end-rhyme partner.
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