twice
gb/twˈaɪs/ us/twˈaɪs/
A2
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A2
quantity
1
Two times
Happening two times.
Usage pattern:
[verb] twice
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'twice' with 'double'. 'Twice' is about frequency or count, while 'double' often refers to size, amount, or multiplication.
Synonyms
two times (Exact equivalent but more explicit and less idiomatic.)
Antonyms
once (Means one time, the opposite of twice.)
Collocations
twice a week
|twice daily
|twice as much
|visit twice
|call twice
Themes
daily life
|numbers
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I called her twice but she didn’t answer.
- He has been to Japan twice this year.
- The meeting was postponed twice due to bad weather.
- She read the letter twice before replying.
- I’ve watched that movie twice already.
Learner examples
- I went to the park twice.
- She called me twice yesterday.
- We eat pizza twice a month.
- He read the book twice.
- They visited us twice last year.
adverb
B1
quantity
2
Two times as much
Two times bigger, more, or stronger.
Usage pattern:
twice as [adjective] / twice the [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes incorrectly say 'two times more than' when 'twice as much' is more natural.
Synonyms
double ('Double' can be used similarly but is also a verb and adjective; 'twice' is strictly an adverb.)
Antonyms
half (Means 50% of something, opposite in scale to double/twice.)
Collocations
twice as big
|twice the size
|twice as fast
|twice the price
Themes
numbers
|measurement
|comparison
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- This house is twice as large as ours.
- She earns twice the salary of her colleague.
- The new phone is twice as fast as the old one.
- The ticket costs twice the price it did last year.
- He lifted a weight twice his own body weight.
Learner examples
- My bag is twice as heavy as yours.
- The room is twice the size of mine.
- This car is twice as fast as that one.
- The cake is twice as sweet as before.
- He paid twice the price for that shirt.
Grammar
Dictionary form
twice
IPA
GB/twˈaɪs/
US/twˈaɪs/
Syllables & stress
twice (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (twice)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: twice
- Plural: twices
Word family
Expressions
lightning never strikes twice
1/lˈaɪtnɪŋ nˈɛvɚ stɹˈaɪks twˈaɪs/
idiom
Unlikely same rare event repeats
A rare thing will probably not happen in the same place or to the same person again.
Examples
- Winning the lottery again? Lightning never strikes twice.
- They say lightning never strikes twice, but he got promoted again within a year.
think twice
1/θˈɪŋk twˈaɪs/
idiom
Reconsider carefully before acting
To stop and consider something again before doing it, because it might be wrong or risky.
Examples
- You should think twice before lending him money.
- She thought twice about quitting her job without another offer.
think twice
2/θˈɪŋk twˈaɪs/
idiom
Consider carefully before acting
To stop and think carefully before doing something.
Examples
- You should think twice before investing all your savings.
- He didn’t think twice about helping her.
once bitten, twice shy
1/wˈʌns bˈɪtən | twˈaɪs ʃˈaɪ/
idiom
Cautious after bad experience
After something bad happens, you are careful not to let it happen again.
Examples
- I won't lend him money again—once bitten, twice shy.
- I don’t lend money anymore—once bitten, twice shy.
- She avoids online shopping now; once bitten, twice shy.
- She avoided dating for years; once bitten, twice shy.
once bitten, twice shy
2/wˈʌns bˈɪtən | twˈaɪs ʃˈaɪ/
idiom
Cautious after bad experience
After something bad happens once, you are more careful next time.
Examples
- I won't lend him money again—once bitten, twice shy.
- She was hurt in her last relationship and is now once bitten, twice shy.