meanwhile than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "meanwhile than" is not correct and usable in written English.
It seems to be a confusion of two separate phrases: "meanwhile" and "than," which serve different grammatical purposes. Example: "I was studying for my exam; meanwhile, my friends were out enjoying the weekend."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

None of them are stranger, meanwhile, than Sleep With Me, in the course of which Drew Ackerman talks meanderingly in a voice that makes me think of Derry Murbles, the fictional NPR host of TV's Parks And Recreation.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Meanwhile, Than Shwe is 77 and a succession of some sort is likely within a decade.

The New York Times

Meanwhile, more than three-quarters of those who worked more than 40 hours weren't paid overtime.

Vice

Meanwhile, more than half of headteachers say they have less money than last year despite the pupil premium.

The Guardian

Meanwhile, less than half of children complete primary school.

The Economist

Meanwhile, more than 4 percent did something called "anadromous fishing".

The New York Times

Meanwhile, more than 1.2 million Tunisians, over 11 percent of the country's population, live in poverty.

The New York Times

Meanwhile, more than one in five New York City residents live below the poverty line.

The New Yorker

Meanwhile, more than 400 broadcasters visited Washington and spent time on Capitol Hill lobbying lawmakers.

The New York Times

Meanwhile, more than 40 schools and nurseries in the Highland Council area were closed today.

Independent

Meanwhile, more than 300,000 qualified teachers are not working in schools.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "meanwhile than". It's grammatically incorrect. Use "meanwhile" or "in the meantime" instead, or rephrase the sentence for clarity.

Common error

Don't combine "meanwhile" with "than" as if creating a comparison. "Meanwhile" indicates simultaneous events, not a comparative relationship. If a comparison is intended, use "rather than" or rephrase to clearly show what's being compared.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "meanwhile than" attempts to combine two distinct grammatical functions. "Meanwhile" typically functions as an adverb or conjunctive adverb, indicating simultaneity. "Than" is a conjunction used for comparisons. As Ludwig AI explains, this combination is incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

10%

Wiki

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "meanwhile than" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Ludwig AI identifies it as an error, stemming from a confusion between the adverb "meanwhile", used to indicate simultaneous events, and the conjunction "than", used for comparisons. While attempts to use it might aim to link events and imply a comparison, the result is grammatically unsound. Consider using "meanwhile" on its own or rephrasing to use "than" correctly in a comparative structure. Alternatives include "at the same time" or "in the meantime".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the same time

Replaces "meanwhile" to indicate simultaneity; omits "than".

in the meantime

Similar to "meanwhile" but doesn't include a comparative element.

simultaneously

A single word replacement for "meanwhile", indicating that two things happen together.

concurrently

Formal synonym for "simultaneously", without "than".

in parallel

Suggests two processes occurring alongside each other, excluding "than".

during that period

Focuses on the temporal aspect indicated by "meanwhile", but without the comparison.

while this was happening

More verbose, emphasizes the temporal context, not comparative.

at the point

Highlights a specific moment, excluding comparison.

by comparison

Highlights a relationship of contrast between two or more entities.

contrasting with that

Emphasizes the contrast, omitting the simultaneity aspect.

FAQs

Is "meanwhile than" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "meanwhile than" is grammatically incorrect. "Meanwhile" is used to indicate events happening at the same time, while "than" is used for comparisons. These should not be combined in this way.

What's the correct way to use "meanwhile" in a sentence?

Use "meanwhile" to show that something happens at the same time as something else. For example, "I was studying for my exam; "meanwhile", my friends were out enjoying the weekend."

What can I use instead of "meanwhile"?

You can use alternatives like "at the same time" or "in the meantime" to express simultaneity.

How can I properly make a comparison using "than"?

Use "than" to compare two things. For example, "This book is better "than" that one." If you want to indicate simultaneity and comparison, ensure they are in separate, grammatically correct clauses.