hence

adverb

ˈhen(t)s How to pronounce hence (audio)
Synonyms of hence
1
: from this place : away
Was that my father that went hence so fast?—William Shakespeare
2
a
archaic : henceforth
b
: from this time
four years hence
3
: because of a preceding fact or premise : therefore
The company was losing money. Hence, the CEO was fired.
4
: from this source or origin
see also:
from hence

Synonyms of hence

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Examples of hence in a Sentence

Resource-rich countries don't need to levy taxes, so there is little pressure for government accountability, and hence fewer checks and balances. —Niall Ferguson, New York Times Book Review, 1 July 2007
Panforte—a cross between a cake and a candy—is a classic Italian Christmas treat. It's a very dense, rich confection loaded with nuts, dried fruit, and spices (hence its name, which means "strong bread"). —Gourmet, December 2002
Common sense told the YA librarian that if ever she hoped to be successful with her clients, she would have to offset the prevailing attitude of most of the staff. Through determination and patience, she soon established herself as confidante, friend, and advisor to large numbers of middle and high school students. Hence, it was not surprising when she was approached one day by a young man and young woman with a request. —A. J. Anderson, Library Journal, 1 May 1994
He knew he could not win the election—hence his decision to withdraw. The company lost a great deal of money. Hence, the CEO was asked to resign. What will life be like a century hence?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That round ended after 15 holes, hence the odd number of holes played over the trip. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 The sixth month is synonymous with warmth and brightness, hence why many houses opted for bold, colorful designs. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 June 2026 Such cell-sloughing is inherent to all alpha hydroxy acids—yet lactic acid is, in many ways, in a league of its own (hence its presence in all AmLactin products). — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 3 July 2026 New estimates To date, researchers still don’t know how common alpha-gal antibodies are, hence the new MMWR study. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hence

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hennes, henne, from Old English heonan; akin to Old High German hinnan away, Old English hēr here

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hence was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing hence

Rhymes for hence

See All Rhymes for hence

Browse Nearby Words

henbit
hence
henceforth
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Cite this Entry

“Hence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hence. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hence

adverb
ˈhen(t)s How to pronounce hence (audio)
1
: from this place or time
a week hence
2
: consequently, therefore
was a newcomer and hence had no close friends in the city

More from Merriam-Webster on hence

Nglish: Translation of hence for Spanish Speakers

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