instant
Other forms: instants; instanter
An instant is a very short time. In combinations like instant coffee and instant replay it means available right away without a wait.
Instant and moment mean the same thing if you are talking about a particular time in the past like you remember the instant or moment you realized that you had won the lottery. However, the two words are very different when talking about time in the future. "I'll be there in an instant" means you're coming as quickly as possible, whereas if you say "I'll be there in a moment," someone is going to have to wait a bit for you.
Definitions of instant
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a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
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synonyms:
New York minute, blink of an eye, flash, heartbeat, jiffy, split second, trice, twinkling, wink
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a particular point in time
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types:
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climax, culmination
the decisive moment in a novel or play
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eleventh hour, last minute
the latest possible moment
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moment of truth
a crucial moment on which much depends
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moment of truth
the moment in a bullfight when the matador kills the bull
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pinpoint
a very brief moment
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time
a suitable moment
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psychological moment
the most appropriate time for achieving a desired effect
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anagnorisis
the moment in a literary work when a character makes a startling or critical discovery
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high time
the latest possible moment
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occasion
the time of a particular event
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type of:
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point, point in time
an instant of time
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occurring with no delay“instant gratification”
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synonyms:
instantaneous
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fast
acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly
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fast
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demanding attention“an instant need”
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imperative
requiring attention or action
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imperative
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in or of the present month
Pronunciation
US
/ˈɪnstɪnt/
UK
/ˈɪnstɪnt/
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Commonly confused words
instant / instance
Around the Vocabulary.com office, we might like an instance of tea, but we vehemently oppose instant tea.
Word Family
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