at once

Idioms  

1. 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.

2. Immediately, as in Mother told the children to come inside at once . [First half of 1500s]

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Example Sentences

Instead of laying off people in more incremental—and less disruptive—waves, employers are seizing on the potential financial upsides of severing swaths of their workforces at once.

From The Wall Street Journal • 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

“But rates dipped just before the war, and everyone seemed to come out all at once to bid for homes that had been on the market for over 20 days.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

It has, somehow, had enough computing power to be all of those things at once.

From Slate • Apr. 14, 2026

We held each other at arm’s length to look, we babbled questions all at once.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• directly
• expeditiously
• hastily
• instantly
• quickly
• rapidly
• speedily
• swiftly