at once
Idioms-
At the same time, as in We can't all fit into the boat at once . [First half of 1200s] Also see at one time , def. 1.
-
Immediately, as in Mother told the children to come inside at once . [First half of 1500s]
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.
"I think it all kind of happened at once," Davis said.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Driven by Gen Z and millennials, 25% of borrowers hold three or more BNPLs at once, with 29% turning to those for groceries and 20% for delivery or takeout.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
The band thinks Dead City can play both sides at once.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
In a follow-up post, it clarified that it wouldn’t release all of the tokens at once.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
He hadn’t taken over three steps when all at once he fell over backwards.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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.
