moment

noun

mo·ment | \ ˈmō-mənt

Definition of moment

1a : a minute portion or point of time : instant a moment of dreadful suspense— Graham Greene

b : a comparatively brief period of time moments of solitude

2a : present time at the moment she is at work on her fourth novel — Holiday

b : a time of excellence or conspicuousness there's … some deliciously funny moments, but most of it is numbingly subtle— Jess Cagle

3 : importance in influence or effect decisions of moment must be made by our government— L. H. Evans

4 obsolete : a cause or motive of action

5 : a stage in historical or logical development a document of one moment in the history of thought and sensibility in the nineteenth century— T. S. Eliot

6a : tendency or measure of tendency to produce motion especially about a point or axis

b : the product of quantity (such as a force) and the distance to a particular axis or point

7a : the mean (see mean entry 4 sense 1b) of the nth powers of the deviations (see deviation sense b) of the observed values in a set of statistical data from a fixed value

b : the expected value of a power of the deviation (see deviation sense b) of a random variable from a fixed value

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about moment

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Choose the Right Synonym for moment

importance, consequence, moment, weight, significance mean a quality or aspect having great worth or significance. importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something or someone. a region with no cities of importance consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects. the style you choose is of little consequence moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence. a decision of great moment weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something. the argument carried no weight with the judge significance implies a quality or character that should mark a thing as important but that is not self-evident and may or may not be recognized. the treaty's significance

Examples of moment in a Sentence

The sun was shining. Moments later, it began to rain. It was a moment before she realized what had happened. She stopped for a moment and peeked into the window. It should only take a moment to fix the problem. I'm very busy and I don't have a moment to spare. One moment it was sunny; the next it was pouring rain. The moment for us to act has arrived. War seemed unavoidable at that moment in history. She knew exactly the right moment to ask for a raise. We had an exciting vacation. There was never a dull moment.

Recent Examples on the Web

Or there’s the moment of the group deciding to take some Molly together in their matching floral pj’s. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Wine Country Looks Like the Next Bridesmaids," 11 Apr. 2019 One of the only things that brought me relief in these moments of darkness was my ability to imagine sinister things and then laugh at them. — Glamour, "Catherine Reitman Wanted to Laugh Through Her Postpartum Depression. So She Made Workin' Moms.," 8 Apr. 2019 For now, the online marketplace gets one seller shorter, while independent bookstores seem to have created a sustained moment of success. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Microsoft Is Closing Its Ebook Store and Taking the Books With It," 2 Apr. 2019 Just sit and savor this sweet moment of victory, because science has proved that sleeping in a cold room actually is good for your health. — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "Studies Show Sleeping in a Cold Room is Actually Better for Your Health," 19 Mar. 2019 Ronald Sullivan, presumably an excellent lawyer, prefers claiming victimhood to using the occasion as a teaching moment and defending the constitutional right of anyone accused to competent legal counsel. — WSJ, "Harvard Should Be Crimson With Chagrin," 24 Mar. 2019 At the moment, a high-end PC might run you $1,500 or more. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "Google's Stadia game-streaming service lets you play games anywhere, if your Internet can handle it," 19 Mar. 2019 Hold for a moment and then transition to the high plank position again. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "A Total-Body HIIT Workout You Can Do in Under 15 Minutes From Celebrity Trainer Jeanette Jenkins," 14 Mar. 2019 According to Mark 15:38, sin had separated people from God, but at the moment of Christ's death, the veil that separated humanity from the presence of God lifted. — Woman's Day Staff, Woman's Day, "When Is Good Friday? Here's Everything You Need to Know," 13 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'moment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.