instantly

1 of 2

adverb

in·​stant·​ly ˈin(t)-stənt-lē How to pronounce instantly (audio)
1
: without the least delay : immediately
2
: with importunity : urgently

instantly

2 of 2

conjunction

: as soon as
he ran across the grass instantly he perceived his motherW. M. Thackeray

Examples of instantly in a Sentence

Adverb His voice is instantly recognizable. They instantly fell in love. She was killed instantly when her car hit a tree. Conjunction we realized there would be problems instantly we saw the final report
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adverb
The itch-relief plasters instantly soothe insect bites in both adults and children. Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025 Just a pea-sized amount sinks in instantly, leaving your skin ridiculously soft and perfectly primed for makeup. Siena Gagliano, Allure, 20 Feb. 2025 For every instantly recognizable dish on His Place’s menu, there’s an iconoclastic counterpart — next to the chicken and waffles are red velvet and churro variations. Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Feb. 2025 That’s just another undercooked idea that gets aired and instantly forgotten. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for instantly

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from instant instant entry 2 + -ly -ly entry 2

Conjunction

derivative of instantly entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Conjunction

1793, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of instantly was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Instantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instantly. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

instantly

adverb
in·​stant·​ly
ˈin(t)-stənt-lē
: without delay : immediately
came instantly when I called

More from Merriam-Webster on instantly

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