not until then

USAGE SUMMARY

"not until then" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to some specific point in time in the future, or to express the idea that something will not happen until a later point in time. For example, "I won't be able to attend the meeting today, but I will be there not until then."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

But not until then.

The New York Times

Not until then.

The New Yorker

"Not until then?" he asked.

The New York Times

And not until then was it known.

The New Yorker

Not until then, can a party consider the needs of the other.

University of California, Berkeley

It was not until then that she began to worry that she was pregnant.

The New Yorker

But I had not until then realized how profoundly things had changed.

The New Yorker

It was not until then that meat became a key part of the diet of aristocrats.

The New York Times - Food

It was not until then that the campaign against it took off.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

It wasn't until then that I knew.

Independent

Am I correct?" Well, he wasn't until then.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not until then" to clearly specify a time-dependent condition. For example, "The project cannot begin, not until then, when all resources are allocated."

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by ensuring the clause modified by "not until then" is clear. Incorrect: "I went to the store, not until then did I realize I forgot my wallet." Correct: "I didn't realize I forgot my wallet not until then, when I arrived at the store."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not until then" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause to indicate when an action occurs. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples showing how it specifies a future point after which something happens.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Academia

18%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "not until then" is a frequently used adverbial phrase that specifies a time-dependent condition. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and versatile, appearing in news, academic, and general contexts. It's crucial to ensure clear sentence structure to avoid ambiguity, and while generally neutral in tone, more formal alternatives may occasionally suit specific registers. With a wide range of contexts and numerous authoritative sources employing the phrase, its value in precisely conveying temporal conditionality is clear.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

only at that point

Emphasizes the exclusivity of the timing; nothing happens before that specific moment.

solely at that time

Highlights that the action or event is restricted to that particular time.

exclusively after that

Focuses on the exclusion of any prior occurrence.

subsequently, and only then

Adds a sense of sequence and reinforces the conditionality of the timing.

not before that

Simple rephrasing indicating that the event does not occur any earlier.

merely at that instance

Emphasizes the limited and specific nature of the timing.

just at that moment

Highlights the exactitude and immediacy of the timing.

it was only then that

Changes the sentence structure to emphasize the realization or occurrence at that time.

later, but not sooner

Expresses the timing in terms of what doesn't happen sooner, adding a layer of comparison.

exclusively then

Directly limits the occurrence to that particular point in time.

FAQs

How can I use "not until then" in a sentence?

You can use "not until then" to indicate that something will only happen after a specific condition or time has been met. For example, "I won't be able to relax, "not until then", when the deadline is over."

What phrases are similar to "not until then"?

Similar phrases include "only then", "not before that", and "exclusively then". These phrases emphasize that something is contingent on a future event.

Is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with "not until then"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct, but starting a sentence with "not until then" often requires inversion of the subject and verb. For example, "Not until then did I understand the problem."

What is the difference between "not until then" and "until then"?

"Until then" refers to the period leading up to a specific time. "Not until then" emphasizes that something specifically doesn't happen before that time, adding a sense of conditionality.