James WardElizabeth M. Roberts
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There vs. They're vs. Their
There, they're, and their: they sound the same but have different meanings and keeping them straight can be very tricky.
We'll start with there. It has the word here in it, which can help remind us that this particular word is often about location:
There it is.
Put it there.
Stay there.
We'll be there soon.
It's about location in the more abstract sense too:
There you go.
There is where we disagree.
Friends who are always there for you.
It's also the one to use as the first word in sentences that have the subject after the verb:
There goes the bus.
And it's the one used with is and are at the beginning of sentences and questions:
There are plenty available.
Is there a hotel in the town?
The other two are trickier because they both have the idea of the plural in them. Both are connected to the idea of "them."
They're means "they are":
They're (=they are) funny people.
They're (=they are) the cutest puppies ever.
It can be used of non-living things too:
They're (=they are) both really good books.
They're (=they are) two of our biggest problems.
The last of this trio, their, is the possessive form of they, so it has to do with what belongs to, relates to, or is made or done by certain people, animals, or things:
It's their house.
We're their neighbors.
The trees are losing their leaves.
And there you go. They're not an easy group of words, but with practice we know you can master their distinctions.
Examples of there in a Sentence
Paul Lakeland, Commonweal, 24 Feb. 2006
Although there's little data on toxin levels in this species, one small study in San Francisco showed mercury levels almost as high as in swordfish.
—Amy Blumenthal, O, August 2004
… the daily regimen included, among other things, 20-minute predawn runs and two-hour morning skates. There were also afternoon weightlifting and cardio sessions.
—Kelley King, Sports Illustrated, 21 Jan. 2002
Cancer was like that. It was like being run off the road by a truck, and I've got the scars to prove it. There's a puckered wound in my upper chest just above my heart, which is where the catheter was implanted.
—Lance Armstrong, It's Not About the Bike, (2000) 2001
Put the package there on the table.
Go to your room and stay there.
Turn there at the church.
She was sitting there a minute ago.
They have lived there for 30 years.
When will you be there?
I used to live near there.
What do you see out there?
If we leave now, we should get there by noon.
I drove the kids there.
Noun
I'll get everything ready, and you take it from there.
Adjective
She is there to answer any questions you might have.
Melinda Sheckells, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Apr. 2024
According to a manager who still works at Boeing, the workers there have just one condition, a reference to three out of Boeing’s past four leaders who came from the house Jack Welch built.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for there 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'there.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Adverb, Pronoun, Noun, and Adjective
Middle English, from Old English thǣr; akin to Old High German dār there, Old English thæt that
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Pronoun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing there
Video
There, They're, Their
There, there. We'll sort it out.
Dictionary Entries Near there
Cite this Entry
“There.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/there. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
there
1 of 3 adverb
there
2 of 3 pronoun
there
3 of 3 noun
More from Merriam-Webster on there
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for there
Nglish: Translation of there for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of there for Arabic Speakers
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