momentarily
Americanadverb
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for a moment; briefly.
to pause momentarily.
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at any moment; imminently.
expected to occur momentarily.
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Now Rare. instantly.
adverb
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for an instant; temporarily
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from moment to moment; every instant
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very soon
Etymology
Origin of momentarily
Explanation
The original meaning of the adverb momentarily was "lasting for brief time": "She was daydreaming and momentarily lost her train of thought." Today, the word is frequently used to mean "very soon." A waiter might say to a hungry customer, "Your food will be ready momentarily." When something is just about to happen, it will happen momentarily. Just before a concert begins, an announcer will often tell the audience it's starting momentarily. But if you pause your movie momentarily so you can go grab a snack, that means you will put the movie on hold for a short time. The "lasting for a moment" meaning of this word is attested from the 1650s; it wasn't used to mean "at any moment" until the 1920s.
Vocabulary lists containing momentarily
The Sky at Our Feet
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The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
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"A Brief Account of the Facts" and "Comprehending the Calamity"
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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.
Throughout human history eclipses have stirred amazement, fear and reverence, as they appear to momentarily halt the normal course of nature.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
A last-gasp defeat by England in Lens momentarily punctured that optimism, but the final group game against Russia presented Coleman's side with a chance to secure their place in the knockout stages.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
That pressure has at least momentarily flushed some AI concerns out of the market, said Trevor Slaven, Barings’ global head of asset allocation and multiasset portfolio solutions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
If a child isn’t acting exactly how a parent or caretaker would prefer at any moment, is that the barrier where our love for them ceases, even momentarily?
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
A dog started barking somewhere in the distance, and my own dogs paused to listen, seeming momentarily confused.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
