instantaneous

[ in-stuhn-tey-nee-uhs ]

adjective

1. occurring, done, or completed in an instant:

   an instantaneous response.

   Synonyms: abrupt, sudden, immediate

2. existing at or pertaining to a particular instant:

   the instantaneous position of the rocket.

instantaneous

/ ˌɪnstənˈteɪnɪəs; ɪnˌstæntəˈniːɪtɪ /

adjective

1. occurring with almost no delay; immediate
2. happening or completed within a moment

   instantaneous death

3. maths
   1. occurring at or associated with a particular instant
   2. equal to the limit of the average value of a given variable as the time interval over which the variable is considered approaches zero

      instantaneous velocity

Derived Forms

• ˌinstanˈtaneously, adverb
• ˌinstanˈtaneousness, noun

Other Words From

• in·stan·ta·ne·i·ty [in-stan-tn-, ee, -i-tee, in-st, uh, n-t, uh, -, nee, -], instan·tane·ous·ness noun
• instan·tane·ous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of instantaneous¹

From the Medieval Latin word instantāneus, dating back to 1645–55. See instant, -an, -eous

Example Sentences

If you come to need that instantaneous jolt of dopamine that comes from discovering some new corner of the internet, you’ll end up needing more and more stimulation to keep feeling fresh as time goes on.

From Popular-Science

Your results with SEO won’t be instantaneous, but you will be glad you put extra effort into optimizing your site’s SEO down the road.

From Search Engine Watch

At every moment, our existence takes place only on the instantaneous, knife-edge of Now, which can never be captured and held immobile.

From Nautilus

In contrast, South Korean officials gave near instantaneous approval to commercial labs, and they quickly began testing 10,000 people a day.

From ProPublica

The moves also will temporarily alter the look and feel of Twitter, a service built on instantaneous conversation, quips, and breaking news.

From Washington Post

My interest in sex was pretty instantaneous, and we just continued having a casual sexual relationship.

From The Daily Beast

Of the Conkling letter, his private secretaries later observed: “Nothing he ever uttered had a more instantaneous success.”

From The Daily Beast

But it is important to understand that this effect is neither large nor instantaneous.

From The Daily Beast

By the end of 2013, over 70 percent of humanity will have access to instantaneous, low-cost communications and information.

From The Daily Beast

Despite the alarming cost, the president demands instantaneous action on his proposals.

From The Daily Beast

The vision—it had been an instantaneous flash after all and nothing more—had left his mind completely for the time.

From Project Gutenberg

He would have welcomed instantaneous sleep—ten hours of refreshing, dreamless sleep.

From Project Gutenberg

Its success was instantaneous, but Campbell was deficient in energy and perseverance and did not follow it up.

From Project Gutenberg

Here is an instantaneous photograph one of our boys got of the battle; it's for sale on every news-stand.

From Project Gutenberg

It was an instantaneous apparition of absolute bodily substance, which carried its own warrant of complete bona fides.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• rapid
• spontaneous
• transitory