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

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

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

From Time Magazine Archive

LSM 60 vanished in the twinkling of an eye.

From Time Magazine Archive

They marvelled to see with what speed these green-clad men now moved, vanishing almost in the twinkling of an eye.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien