hence

hence — adverb

1. for this reason; as a direct logical result of something just stated — this word

1.adverbB2
Definition

for this reason; as a direct logical result of something just stated — this word signals that a conclusion or explanation follows.

Example

Pim missed three weeks of classes due to an illness; hence, the final exam was very difficult for him.

hence + clause showing result

The factory switched to solar power last year. Hence the huge drop in its monthly electricity bills.

hence + noun phrase (elliptical style)

Common collocations
  • hence the need for
  • hence the reason
  • hence the importance
  • hence the popularity
Synonyms
  • therefore

    more common in everyday speech; 'hence' is more formal

  • thus

    similar formality; 'thus' is slightly more literary

  • consequently

    emphasises the cause-effect relationship more explicitly

Grammar Patterns

hence + clause

hence + noun phrase

Usage Note

In formal writing, 'hence' is often used to begin a sentence that states a logical conclusion from the previous sentence. 'Hence' can be followed by a full clause or directly by a noun phrase (without a verb).

Common Mistakes

I was tired, hence I went to bed early.
I was tired; hence, I went to bed early.
'Hence' should connect two clauses with a semicolon (or start a new sentence) rather than follow a comma.

2. a specified period measured forward from the present moment into the future.

2.adverbC1
Definition

a specified period measured forward from the present moment into the future.

Example

The couple booked a wedding venue for a date exactly two years hence, wanting plenty of time to plan.

two years hence = two years from now

Nala signed a lease that would not begin until six months hence, after her current rental ended.

Common collocations
  • days hence
  • months hence
  • years hence
  • a decade hence
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[number] + [time unit] + hence

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used with a specific number or quantifier before a time word (e.g., 'a week hence,' 'five years hence'). It is characteristic of formal, legal, and academic writing; in everyday English, people prefer 'from now' (e.g., 'two years from now').

Common Mistakes

Hence two years, I will graduate.
I will graduate two years hence.
The time expression must come before 'hence,' not after.

3. away from this location — now found almost exclusively in historical, literary,

3.adverbC2
Definition

away from this location — now found almost exclusively in historical, literary, or highly formal language.

Example

The messenger departed hence at midnight, carrying urgent news for the king.

archaic/literary use: depart + hence

'Get thee hence,' the old story reads, 'and never set foot in this village again.'

biblical/literary formula: get thee hence

Synonyms
  • away

    modern equivalent; far more common

  • from here

    everyday alternative for this sense

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

verb + hence

Usage Note

This sense is now archaic in everyday English. It survives in fixed literary expressions ('get thee hence,' 'go hence'), historical fiction, and translations of classical or biblical texts. Modern readers will encounter it far more often in reading than in speech or writing.

Common Mistakes

❌ 'I am moving hence tomorrow.' (in a casual conversation) — This sounds unnatural in modern English. Use 'away from here' or 'from here' instead.

Idioms

… days, weeks, etc. hence

idiom

Used to say that something will happen a certain amount of time in the future.

The project deadline is three weeks hence.

Will you still remember this moment a year hence?

Word family

  • henceforth
    adverbC1
  • henceforward
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

'Therefore,' 'thus,' 'consequently,' 'accordingly,' and 'hence' all indicate a logical result, but they differ in tone and typical contexts. 'Therefore' is the most neutral and widely used — it works in speech and writing across all registers. 'Thus' carries a slightly literary feel and is common in academic prose, often introducing a method or conclusion ('The sample was heated; thus, the metal expanded'). 'Consequently' emphasises the cause-effect relationship and is preferred in formal reports to stress that one event directly produced another. 'Accordingly' is more common in legal and administrative language, where it signals that an action follows a rule or precedent. 'Hence' sits between 'thus' and 'consequently' in formality — it can introduce either a full clause or a noun phrase, making it useful for concise explanatory sentences. For example: 'The evidence was inconclusive; hence, the case was dismissed.' In this context, 'therefore' would also work but sound less formal, while 'consequently' would add weight to the causal link.

therefore ↗thus ↗consequently ↗accordingly ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • hence the need for
  • hence the reason
  • hence the importance
  • years hence
  • months hence
  • days hence

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Hence' comes from Old English 'heonan' meaning 'from this place,' which developed from a Proto-Germanic root *hin- (meaning 'this one' or 'that one') combined with an ablative suffix indicating movement away. By the Middle English period, it had already acquired its temporal meaning ('from this time') and, later, its logical meaning ('as a result of this'). The three senses — spatial, temporal, and logical — all share the core idea of moving away from a starting point, whether a place, a moment in time, or a preceding statement.