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.
He noted that it’s important in an academic setting to not react instantly to shifting student preferences, and to make thoughtful changes.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026
He said his mind instantly went to the trauma of all of those impacted by what he witnessed, including the man's loved ones and everyone who was on the ride with him.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Takeaways from this high-tech, high-stakes MLB add-on that became instantly popular with fans and something of a poker hand for players:
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
It remains one of R.E.M.’s strongest compositions, an entire sonic landscape that morphs instantly into a whole other world.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
Greg Lippmann watched his counterparts at Goldman Sachs find and exploit someone else’s willingness to sell huge amounts of cheap insurance on subprime mortgage bonds and pretty much instantly guessed the seller’s identity.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
