adverb
-
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.
Lumen Technologies CFO Chris Stansbury instantly bonded with Kate Johnson the first time they met about four years ago, when she interviewed for the CEO role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
If you have status on one airline, you can apply to instantly get the same level at a competing airline, temporarily at least.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Star, also a singer-songwriter, came over to Wales from Nashville and bonded instantly with BBC Radio Wales' Lewis.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
They gave us reason to trust them almost instantly.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
The eyes of every person in line instantly shifted to her and the clipboard in her hands, and Natalie gulped.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
