Definition

Adverb: At that exact moment in the past; at that precise instant.

Usage

This adverb is used to describe a specific, often sudden, point in past time. It connects two events, showing that one happened immediately at the moment of another. It is commonly used in narrative storytelling.

Examples

• Just then, the phone rang, interrupting our conversation.
• I was about to give up hope. Just then, I saw a light in the distance.
• She was explaining the rule. Just then, the door opened and the principal walked in.

Advanced Usage

• Narrative Pacing: "Just then" is a powerful tool for creating suspense or highlighting a turning point in a story. It signals an immediate and often unexpected change.
  • The hero was cornered. Just then, his ally arrived with reinforcements.

Variants and Related Words

• At that moment: A very close synonym, often interchangeable.
• At that instant: Emphasizes an even more precise split-second.
• Right then: A more informal variant with identical meaning.

Synonyms

• At that moment
• At that instant
• Right then
• At that point
• At that juncture

Antonyms

• Later
• Afterwards
• Some time after

Related Phrases

• At that very moment: An emphatic form that strengthens the immediacy.
  • I thought of you at that very moment.
• (And) then: A simpler conjunction for sequence, without the emphasis on the precise instant.
  • I finished my work, and then I went home.

Adverb

1. at a particular time in the past
   • just then the bugle sounded