What does that mean?
“That” is one of English’s most versatile and familiar words. As a demonstrative, it can identify a particular person, thing, or idea: “That is my brother,” “That house is old,” or “I prefer that version.” As a conjunction, it introduces a dependent clause and links it to a larger sentence: “She believed that the plan would work.” In some contexts it functions as a relative pronoun, connecting a clause to an earlier noun, while in expressions such as “not that old,” “that far,” and “at that point,” it works adverbially to express degree, distance, or time. Its meaning depends heavily on stress and context. Stressed, it often points toward a specific referent or conveys emphasis; unstressed, it is usually a grammatical connector. Although “that” can appear in every register, its isolated use may sound blunt or dismissive. It is therefore useful not only as a precise demonstrative but also as a compact grammatical tool for organizing information in speech and writing.
A word that introduces a dependent clause and connects it to a main clause or another element of the sentence.
"I hope that the weather improves before the weekend."
This is especially common in formal and informational writing. The clause introduced by “that” is usually not presented as a complete independent sentence.
A demonstrative word placed before a noun to identify a particular person, thing, or idea.
"That mountain is the highest in the region."
The word may be stressed when it draws attention to the referent and unstressed when the exact referent is already clear.
A demonstrative pronoun standing in place of a noun or noun phrase.
"I know what you mean, but that is not what I intended."
Used independently, it can be emphatic, especially in responses such as “That is excellent!”
A word expressing degree, distance, extent, or time, commonly in fixed expressions.
"The water is not that cold."
This use is especially common in informal speech and in constructions such as “that far,” “that long,” and “not that bad.”
One of English’s most familiar words began as a way to point to something, then grew into the tiny hinge that connects clauses in sentences.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does that come from?
The word descends from Old English þæt, a demonstrative pronoun and determiner meaning “that” or “the.” Its ancient relatives include the English cognates “this” and “the,” as well as related forms in other Germanic languages, such as German das and Danish det. Over time, “that” expanded beyond its original demonstrative function and developed into a conjunction and relative pronoun, while the unstressed form /ðət/ became one of the most common connecting words in English.
How that is actually used
“That” is extremely common and generally neutral in both formal and informal English. When used alone as a response or repeated for emphasis, it can sound impatient, dismissive, or emphatic, depending on tone and context. In formal writing, the conjunction is especially frequent because it allows a clause to be presented as information rather than as a direct assertion.
Easily confused with that
“Than” compares two quantities or circumstances, as in “older than,” while “that” identifies or introduces a person, thing, or clause.