instantly

1 of 2

adverb

in·​stant·​ly ˈin(t)-stənt-lē 

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 mother

—W. M. Thackeray

Synonyms

Adverb

• immediately
• promptly
• now
• directly

Conjunction

• when
• immediately [chiefly British]
• once

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

Adverb

One of Pachuca’s best opportunities during the first half came in transition, with Montiel receiving the ball and instantly looking to find Rondon with a searching pass over the top. —Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 20 June 2025

In practice, the system instantly compares customer data against international sources like the Dow Jones Watchlist. —Marcin Nowak, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

Traveling at the speed of light, this radiation reaches Earth almost instantly, ionizing the upper atmosphere. —Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 20 June 2025

The season’s heat instantly invokes daydreams of strolls through quaint neighborhoods, outdoor dining, and sunset sails on crystal clear waters. —Essence, 20 June 2025

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

Kids Definition

instantly

adverb

in·​stant·​ly

ˈin(t)-stənt-lē

: without delay : immediately

came instantly when I called