in the twinkling of an eye

Idioms  

1. In an instant, as in The breakup of Yugoslavia created many warring nations in the twinkling of an eye. This hyperbolic expression, which alludes to the very brief time it takes for an eye to blink, is heard less often today. [c. 1300]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in the twinkling of an eye

In the words of St. Paul, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.”

From The Verge ● Jul. 10, 2020

A line from "Messiah" proclaims: “We shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.”

From US News ● Dec. 23, 2014

The map of life is changed in the twinkling of an eye.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the beauty business has turned it to advantage by bringing out new products in the twinkling of an eye.

From Time Magazine Archive

Like the strangers on the Avenue, they became, in the twinkling of an eye, unutterably different and fantastically present.

From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin