all at once
Idioms-
All at the same time, as in We can't get inside all at once, so please wait your turn . [Late 1300s]
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Suddenly, unexpectedly, as in All at once the sky darkened . For a synonym, see all of a sudden .
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.
All at once I see the bright greens of the lawn and the blue of the ocean, and there’s Geffen standing at the end of this long pathway.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 6, 2023
All at once, what it meant to be Muslim was defined by other people, she said, and persistent hostility took a tremendous mental health toll.
From New York Times • Sep. 8, 2021
All at once, she began questioning the purpose of her work.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 12, 2021
All at once, he said, memories came flooding back.
From Washington Post • Feb. 6, 2021
All at once her eyes widened, and she drew in her breath.
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
