instant messaging

noun

: a means or system for transmitting electronic messages instantly

instant message noun or verb

Examples of instant messaging in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With instant messaging yet to be invented, 11 am—the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month—was chosen to be the time when hostilities would officially cease in order to allow news of the armistice to reach the front lines. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Nov. 2026

Still, on the instant messaging platform Telegram, the users were able to attract a larger audience of between 10,000 and 20,000 followers per channel. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Web searches, instant messaging, minimizing the browser, and hundreds of other functions are also prevented. — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026

In the late 2010s and early 2020s, online shows like Sequester — which was created by Big Brother alum Audrey Middleton — and games organized entirely on Discord, an instant messaging platform, abounded. — Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for instant messaging

• presaging

Kids Definition

instant messaging

noun

instant mes·​sag·​ing

-ˈme-sə-jiŋ

: a means or system for transmitting electronic messages instantly

instant message noun