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.
The NFL engineered its rise to solve several challenges at once, turning a gym-class staple into a vehicle for youth acquisition and international expansion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
And it does this while sending two signals at once - combining your household Wi-Fi with a dongle which plugs into your PC.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Crop prices behind almost everything on your dinner table are all climbing at once, and Wall Street is taking notice.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 13, 2026
Horror, always popular, is generally having a big moment, becoming at once more pervasive and more direct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
At the top a door opened into a single room that was obviously cooking, eating, and sleeping quarters all at once.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
