WordGarden.iohereupon
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Meanings
Adverb
after this or as a result of this
Beyond the definition
"Hereupon" is a formal, old-fashioned word that means "right after this" or "because of this." It shows that one thing happens, and then another thing follows from it at once. You can think of it as a more literary way of saying "then" in a story or formal text. Imagine a narrator describing a scene: a hero makes a grand declaration, and hereupon the crowd bursts into cheers. You will not hear it much in everyday conversation, but you may see it in legal writing, historical texts, or formal narratives where the order of events matters.
"Hereupon" is an adverb meaning "immediately after this," "following this," or sometimes "as a result of this." It is formal and somewhat archaic, so it sounds old-fashioned and is uncommon in everyday speech. Still, it appears often enough in older writing, legal language, and formal narration that it is worth knowing.
It acts as a signal that something follows directly from the event or statement just mentioned. It is a little stronger and more exact than simply saying "then," because it suggests an immediate next step or a close result. For example: "The council concluded its deliberations; hereupon the new law was enacted." This means the enactment happened right after the conclusion, with no real break in the sequence.
You will often encounter "hereupon" in legal language, historical narratives, and formal reports where a precise sequence is important. A contract might say: "The buyer shall pay the deposit, and hereupon the seller shall transfer the deed." It is close in meaning to "thereupon," though "hereupon" points back more directly to the matter or event just mentioned. Recognizing it helps you follow the flow of formal English and see how one action leads straight to the next.
Examples
- 1
Formal procedure
The chair announced the result, and the meeting hereupon ended.
- Usage
hereupon is formal and old-fashioned, common in legal or literary writing
- 2
Warning response
He received the warning and hereupon agreed to leave the property at once.
- 3
Literary sequence
Hereupon the guard stepped aside, and the visitors entered the hall.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- immediately afterward
- whereupon
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- hereupon he
- hereupon the
Explore
- sequence marker
- conjunctive adverb
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- hereuponadverb