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aha moment

American  

noun

Informal.
  1. a point in time, event, or experience when one has a sudden insight or realization.

    My aha moment was when I put on my shorts from last summer and they didn’t fit.


aha moment British  

noun

  1. an instant at which the solution to a problem becomes clear

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of aha moment

From the expression aha, used to signal sudden awareness or comprehension

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mitchell has been drawing for as long as he can remember, but it was a high school classmate pointing out the permanent nature of a ballpoint pen that led to his aha moment.

From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2025

Her big aha moment came after meeting with Janine Kyrillos, director of the Comprehensive Weight Management Program at Jefferson Health in Pennsylvania.

From Slate • Jul. 20, 2024

Mindy Jensen, a host of financial podcast “BiggerPockets Money,” had an aha moment with Sethi when she was a guest on his podcast.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 18, 2023

When we see accountability, it's an "aha" moment.

From Salon • May 28, 2023

If I’m reading a heavy text, it helps to write notes with the page number so I can go back to the section and have an aha moment.

From New York Times • Mar. 17, 2022

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