instantly

1 of 2

adverb

in·​stant·​ly ˈin(t)-stənt-lē How to pronounce instantly (audio)
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 motherW. M. Thackeray

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
This feature allows the chronograph hands to reset to zero and restart instantly with a single press. Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 As dutiful beauty editors, our eyes couldn’t help but instantly wander to her manicure, a lilac-milk look created by celebrity nail artist Jenny Longworth, who, aside from working with Rihanna, is also responsible for some of Harry Styles’s nail looks. Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 1 July 2025 From there, just place your initial bet on any market and instantly receive the $150 in bonus bets. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 So why the hell does this feel so generic, so by-the-numbers, so instantly forgettable? David Fear, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for instantly

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of instantly was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Instantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instantly. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

instantly

adverb
in·​stant·​ly
ˈin(t)-stənt-lē
: without delay : immediately
came instantly when I called

More from Merriam-Webster on instantly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!