adverb
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immediately; at once
-
archaic urgently or insistently
Synonym Usage
See immediately.
Etymology
Origin of instantly
Late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at instant, -ly
Explanation
Something happens instantly when there's no pause or delay at all before it occurs. If you fall asleep as soon as your head touches your pillow, you can say you drifted off instantly. If an event is immediate, it happens instantly. Your parents might say they fell in love instantly, the moment they first saw each other, and you may realize instantly on the first day of school that you are going to love your history class. The adverb instantly first meant "persistently," rather than "immediately," though it soon gained this meaning. The Medieval Latin root is instantem, "pressing, urgent," or "standing near."
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.
That includes the walls, which can flex to instantly turn small offices into larger conference rooms, the finish of a large conference table and planting dozens of trees on the property.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026
On the field Friday, a referee shouted "stop!" as a shot flew out of bounds -- prompting every robot to freeze instantly.
From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026
The powder hardens almost instantly, remains stable during storage, and can be deployed quickly even in demanding environments such as combat zones and disaster areas.
From Science Daily • Jul. 2, 2026
Because Musk owned roughly 42% of SpaceX, the listing instantly propelled his paper fortune past the $1 trillion mark.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
Zheng stared at him with such panic-stricken eyes that Razi felt instantly sorry for him.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
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.
