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.
More recently, I was asked why I didn’t just buy a reprint online for cheap, and momentarily balked at the question.
From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026
However, at least momentarily, it’s still lower than the levels reached in June of 2022, when average gas prices topped $5.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026
The prospect of a prolonged energy shock momentarily dimmed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026
He spent a lifetime preparing himself for this moment, and during the journey he momentarily showed what he was capable of but without being able to get the kind of success he so clearly deserved.
From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026
She felt momentarily lost, as if she were supposed to repeat something she'd been taught in school but didn’t know what it was.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
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.
