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.
The offenders were stopped in their tracks by audience members shushing - some even hissing - or having a quiet word, but in each case it still momentarily broke the spell of the film.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
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
When she eventually breaks the fourth wall to momentarily make contact with the audience, the timing is unexpected but not at all jarring.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026
Isobel’s hands falter only momentarily, but a single card falls from the deck onto the table.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
