split-sec·ond
ˈsplit-ˈse-kənd 
1
: occurring in a split second
a split-second decision
2
: extremely precise
split-second timing
Examples of split-second in a Sentence
Adjective
a day trader who is used to making split-second decisions
Noun
In a split second, it was all over.
a devastating accident can cause everything in your life to change in a split second
Recent Examples on the Web
Okla Jones, Essence, 11 Dec. 2025
Working with the Police Chief, my focus now is on strengthening the tools and training our officers need to navigate the split-second, high-stress decisions their job demands.
—CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
That’s roughly equal to about 887 kilograms of force (around 1,956 pounds of force), almost like having the weight of a small car slam into something in a split second.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for split-second
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Adjective
As the crisis unfolds in real time, Sam Nelson (Elba) is pulled directly into the center of the operation, forced to navigate a maze of shifting loyalties, mounting panic, and split-second decisions with catastrophic consequences.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 11 Dec. 2025
Working with the Police Chief, my focus now is on strengthening the tools and training our officers need to navigate the split-second, high-stress decisions their job demands.
—CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
Noun
The girl’s features rearrange and for a split second her whole face looks mangled.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
That’s roughly equal to about 887 kilograms of force (around 1,956 pounds of force), almost like having the weight of a small car slam into something in a split second.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for split-second
Cite this Entry
“Split-second.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/split-second. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.
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