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

His graphic creations certainly come at a good moment, considering Marine Serre’s shoulder-grazing feathers and Paco Rabanne’s dangling gems, not to mention the profusion of statement earrings on the street. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "How These Shapely Statement Earrings Celebrate Coast Salish Culture," 13 Mar. 2019 Nunziata and others referred to moments like those as Cunningham CGI-ing himself into their memories. — Alexander Huls, Popular Mechanics, "The Great Star Wars Heist," 7 Mar. 2019 Other fashion moments were praised, like Billy Porter's iconic tuxedo gown. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "14 Oscar Memes That Deserve Their Own Award," 25 Feb. 2019 Wagner’s top-of-the-highlight reel moments may be more sparse than that of some of the other Seahawks standouts, but the man is a film-room star. — Matt Calkins, The Seattle Times, "Is Bobby Wagner the most underappreciated superstar in Seattle sports history?," 20 Feb. 2019 Our vision is to lift the world’s spirits for a few moments every day. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "How Imgur avoids the ugliness of social media," 26 Dec. 2018 Some faithful visit seven different churches on Good Friday, spending a moment of prayer at each. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, "What Is Good Friday and Why Do We Celebrate It?," 22 Feb. 2019 The innocent, virginal fashion for upstanding frilly collars had a lovely moment in a white chiffon tiered dress with a row of black velvet ribbons. — Sarah Mower, Vogue, "The Top 10 Shows of London Fashion Week Fall 2019," 20 Feb. 2019 Made using multiple colors of clay in a process that dates back to medieval times, the old-school trend is having a moment right now. — Megan Beauchamp, House Beautiful, "Alert: Encaustic Tile is Making a Major Comeback," 12 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.