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.
Their colleagues on the rates-strategy team said no—too many investors were still long France, and could create a self-fueling selling cycle if they ran to the exit at once.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
In a district where malaria is endemic, external, fever could mean several things at once.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
He watched them vacuum together, walking side by side with four hands on the machine at once until they got stuck between two chairs, sending them into a tizzy.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
The results support the idea that obesity therapies may be more effective when they target several physiological processes at once instead of focusing only on appetite.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
JB kicked at him, with both legs at once, since JB’s legs were tied together.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
