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 …

—William Thackeray

Synonyms of instantly

Adverb

• immediately
• promptly
• now
• directly

Conjunction

• when
• immediately
• 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

In a recent Instagram post, the media mogul wore a long cardigan that instantly caught my eye. — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2026

Instead of pushing users to web portals, brands can run two-way text sessions that confirm setup, activate warranties or resolve issues instantly. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026

The base model of the Campanero modular camping system, the Pah-Pah caught our eye instantly with its compact dimensions and bivy-like wedge tent hovering over top its utility-box lower half. — New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026

Instead Penny Hardaway became instantly enamored with the shoe when it was informally shown to him during a meeting with Nike. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

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