momentarily

adverb

mo·​men·​tar·​i·​ly ˌmō-mən-ˈter-ə-lē 

1

: for a moment

2

archaic : instantly

3

: at any moment : in a moment

Synonyms

• shortly
• soon

Examples of momentarily in a Sentence

The wind let up momentarily, allowing us to start a campfire.

He paused momentarily before finishing his speech.

We expect them to arrive momentarily.

Recent Examples on the Web

Eastern Washington quarterback medical emergency Friday night’s game was momentarily paused in the fourth quarter after Eastern Washington senior quarterback Jared Taylor suffered a medical emergency on the sideline. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2025

This also supports the idea that swearing can momentarily activate mental states that reduce inhibition and allow the body and mind to perform at a higher level. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

The platforms may also impact Detroit motorists as buses park momentarily in the right-hand lane to let in passengers, but Cramer hopes drivers will be mindful of the change. —Aurora Sousanis, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2025

But in this number, Carpenter manages to momentarily seem Swift-ian in two different, contrasting ways. —Chris Willman, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for momentarily

• arbitrarily
• customarily
• militarily
• necessarily
• ordinarily
• secondarily
• temporarily
• voluntarily
• airily
• caroli
• merrily
• verily

Kids Definition

momentarily

adverb

mo·​men·​tari·​ly

ˌmō-mən-ˈter-ə-lē

1

: for a moment

the pain eased momentarily

2

archaic : instantly

3

: at any moment

we expect them momentarily