instant

1 of 2

noun

in·​stant ˈin(t)-stənt 

1

: an infinitesimal space of time

especially : a point in time separating two states

at the instant of death

2

: the present or current month

instant

2 of 2

adjective

1

: produced or occurring with or as if with extreme rapidity and ease

2

: immediate, direct

the play was an instant success

3

a(1)

: premixed or precooked for easy final preparation

instant pudding

(2)

: appearing in or as if in ready-to-use form

instant poetry

b

: immediately soluble in water

instant coffee

4

a

: present, current

previous felonies not related to the instant crime

b

: of or occurring in the present month

—abbreviation inst

5

: importunate, urgent

instantness noun

Synonyms

Noun

• beat
• eyeblink
• flash
• heartbeat
• jiff
• jiffy
• minute
• moment
• nanosecond
• New York minute
• second
• shake
• split second
• trice
• twinkle
• twinkling
• wink

Adjective

• immediate
• instantaneous
• split-second
• straightaway

Examples of instant in a Sentence

Noun

For an instant, I forgot where I was.

The ride was over in an instant.

Adjective

The movie was an instant hit.

He became an instant celebrity with the publication of his first novel.

We got an instant response from the company.

The Internet provides instant access to an enormous amount of information.

Is this coffee instant or regular?

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The man turned, stared for an instant at where her voice had come from, then dashed out of sight toward the back of the property. —Yukio Mishima, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024

Stafford twisted free of an unblocked defender rushing up the middle, ducked under a second would-be tackler, then scissored his legs like a high-stepping Houdini an instant before finding the star receiver with a seven-yard scoring pass. —Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024

Adjective

He's already played a key role in the team remaining unbeaten, and has been an instant success for the Chiefs. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

This is not to say Gen Z refuses to use instant communication, of course. —Zaheer Dodhia, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "moment, point of time," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin instant-, instans, noun derivative of Late Latin instant-, instans, adjective, "present, current" — more at instant entry 2

Adjective

Middle English, "of the present moment, immediate, urgent," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin instant-, instans "pressing, urgent" (Late Latin also "present, current"), from present participle of instō, instāre "to set foot on, take up a stand, press in a hostile manner, loom, be upon one, be urgent," from in- in- entry 2 + stāre "to stand" — more at stand entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Phrases Containing instant

• instant messaging
• instant replay
• the instant (that)
• this instant

Kids Definition

instant

1 of 2 noun

in·​stant ˈin(t)-stənt 

: a very small space of time : moment

instant

2 of 2 adjective

1

: pressing, urgent

in instant need

2

: happening or done at once

an instant response

3

: partially prepared by the manufacturer to make final preparation easy

instant pudding

especially : made to dissolve quickly in water

instant coffee

Legal Definition

instant

adjective

in·​stant

: being under present consideration

the questions presented in the instant case