instant

American  

[in-stuhnt] / ˈɪn stənt /

noun

instants plural

1. an infinitesimal or very short space of time; a moment.

   They arrived not an instant too soon.

   Synonyms:

   trice, jiffy, flash, twinkling, second

2. the point of time now present or present with reference to some action or event.

3. a particular moment.

   at the instant of contact.

4. a food or beverage, especially coffee, specially processed for quick preparation.

5. Older Use. the present or current month.

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adjective

1. succeeding without any interval of time; prompt; immediate.

   instant relief from a headache.

2. pressing or urgent.

   instant need.

3. noting a food or beverage requiring a minimal amount of time and effort to prepare, as by heating or the addition of milk or water, before being served or used.

   instant coffee; instant pudding.

4. occurring, done, or prepared with a minimal amount of time and effort; produced rapidly and with little preparation.

   an instant book; instant answers; instant history.

5. designed to act or produce results quickly or immediately.

   an instant lottery.

6. Older Use. of the present month: inst.

   your letter of the 12th instant.

7. present; current.

   the instant case before the court.

adverb

1. instantly.

instant British  

/ ˈɪnstənt /

noun

1. a very brief time; moment

2. a particular moment or point in time

   at the same instant

3. immediately; without delay

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adjective

1. immediate; instantaneous

2. (esp of foods) prepared or designed for preparation with very little time and effort

   instant coffee

3. urgent or imperative

4. (postpositive)

   1.  inst.  of the present month Compare proximo ultimo

      a letter of the 7th instant

   2. currently under consideration

adverb

1. a poetic word for instantly

Synonym Usage

See minute ¹.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• instants
  plural

Etymology

Origin of instant

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin instant- (stem of instāns ), present participle of instāre “to be present, urgent,” equivalent to in- in- ² + -stā- stand + -nt- present participle suffix

Explanation

An instant is a very short time. In combinations like instant coffee and instant replay it means available right away without a wait. Instant and moment mean the same thing if you are talking about a particular time in the past like you remember the instant or moment you realized that you had won the lottery. However, the two words are very different when talking about time in the future. "I'll be there in an instant" means you're coming as quickly as possible, whereas if you say "I'll be there in a moment," someone is going to have to wait a bit for you.

Example Sentences

The company also markets “hydrating hot chocolate,” which it said was an instant sellout and represents an effort to “de-seasonalize” the broader hydration business, which has historically been geared toward hot weather and athletic activity.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 11, 2026

"We've stocked up on some instant noodles and bread and stuff like that. Once the wind and rain really start picking up, we’ll have to close the shop."

From Barron's • Jul. 10, 2026

She told the audience: "I answered questions honestly about my faith, and the way it shaped my view of sex and gender, of marriage and family. The backlash was instant and fervent."

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

The biggest appeal of these lowbrow collections—one reader recalls a co-worker telling his kids that souvenir was French for crap—are instant memories.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026

In an instant, the man was at her side, coaxing her back to the car.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman