New York minute

noun

plural New York minutes
US, informal
: a very brief span of time : instant, flash
If he asks if everything is to your liking, he does it in a tone that suggests he'll fix any little thing that's wrong in a New York minute.John Mariani
… no one believes for a New York minute that 16 acres of prime Manhattan real estate will be left undeveloped …Cathleen McGuigan

Examples of New York minute in a Sentence

in a New York minute she had signed the contract and was off on her first assignment
Recent Examples on the Web But the momentum, and the lead vanished in a New York minute when the Yankees scored four times the very next frame to take control and hand the Guardians a 13-4 loss in the opener of a split doubleheader at Progressive Field. Joe Noga, cleveland, 2 July 2022 On its face, Jeffries would be perfectly suited to address the New York headache in a New York minute. Fox News, 23 May 2022 However, El’s world changes in a New York minute. Courtney Howard, Variety, 9 May 2022 Mike White has come from obscurity to stardom in a New York minute after leading a win in his first NFL start. Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Nov. 2021 These candidates who don't look like most past mayors are worthy of consideration for more than a New York minute. Kara Alaimo, CNN, 27 May 2021 But when the good times roll, shell companies and strategies on napkins can find a ticker symbol in a New York minute. James Berman, Forbes, 6 May 2021 Remote working works When they were forced to go virtual, our companies did so in a New York minute. Cheryl Hall, Dallas News, 20 Nov. 2020 Being prepared will help prevent communications pitfalls that could send a challenging situation from bad to out of control in a New York minute. Chris Goddard, Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'New York minute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of New York minute was in 1954

Dictionary Entries Near New York minute

Cite this Entry

“New York minute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/New%20York%20minute. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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