adjective
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occurring with almost no delay; immediate
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happening or completed within a moment
instantaneous death
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maths
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occurring at or associated with a particular instant
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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
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of instantaneous
From the Medieval Latin word instantāneus, dating back to 1645–55. See instant, -an, -eous
Explanation
Something instantaneous is happening right now, without delay. In today's society, the technology we carry in our pockets means people often expect an instantaneous or immediate response to emails and text messages. Instantaneous comes from the Latin instant- meaning "being at hand." When something is instantaneous, it's right at hand when you need it. You can produce an instantaneous reply to someone or see an instantaneous change happen. If something happens very suddenly, you can describe it as instantaneous.
Vocabulary lists containing instantaneous
A Need for Speed: Synonyms for "Fast"
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"Is Survival Selfish?" Vocabulary from the argument
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Auggie & Me
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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.
This marks the first time scientists have directly measured the instantaneous energy of black hole jets rather than relying on long-term averages.
From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026
“Access to the classical studies is now instantaneous: literature, science, art, philosophy, mathematics and history.”
From Salon • Mar. 30, 2026
"Imagine a humanoid educator named Plato. Access to the classical studies is now instantaneous," she said.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
Dr. Wachter observes that technology adoption is rarely instantaneous; it advances through a series of incremental steps, punctuated by occasional, more-fundamental reimaginings of workflow.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026
His instantaneous reply: its cool spier, my brother’s in town too.
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
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.
