moment

noun

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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 But Chronicle photographer Art Frisch clearly understood the gravity of the moment. — Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle, "Snow day in the Bay Area 1976: The view from above," 7 Jan. 2021 Earlier in the month, meanwhile, Hadid offered a little hair inspiration by debuting her latest look: curtain bangs, one of the most in-demand styles of the moment. — Emily Dixon, Marie Claire, "Gigi Hadid Holds Hands With Her Daughter in the Cutest Instagram Photo," 6 Jan. 2021 And Wall Street leaders have been taken aback by the harsh rhetoric of the current moment. — Matt Egan, CNN, "Democracy is under attack. And Wall Street is sounding the alarm," 5 Jan. 2021 In 2020, the comedy star of the moment is Sarah Cooper, who lip syncs Trump soundbites to underline the self-evident madness of, for example, suggesting COVID patients drink bleach. — Judy Berman, Time, "Donald Trump's Presidency Was Supposed to Be Great for Art. It Wasn't," 5 Jan. 2021 After more than 50 years of work behind the lens, Baltimore photographer Mayden is enjoying something of a moment. — Washington Post, "At 69, this photographer’s images are putting him in the spotlight," 4 Jan. 2021 Much of this moment is about doing inner work and making changes on your own terms, but today, Mercury will align with magical Neptune in your very public 10th House of Reputation. — Tarot Astrologers, chicagotribune.com, "Daily horoscope for January 1, 2021," 1 Jan. 2021 Over 400 miles away, conveying the passage of every play and the importance of every moment, will be Sandusky and analyst Femi Ayanbadejo. — Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, "‘This is like the Wild, Wild West’: Ravens radio team adjusts to one broadcasting novelty after another in 2020," 31 Dec. 2020 So, while the Mets were restarting spring training at Citi Field instead of Port St. Lucie due to the pandemic, Baretta tried a spur-of-the-moment gambit from his couch. — Bradford William Davis, courant.com, "How a small Queens deli won over the Mets," 31 Dec. 2020

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.