as in immediate
done or occurring without any noticeable lapse in time
the thunder following the flash of lightning was nearly instantaneous
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Recent Examples of instantaneous
But the clamour to declare who United should and shouldn’t consider, what United should or shouldn’t do, does feel even more instantaneous and widespread than at any other managerial crossroad across recent years.
—
Ian Irving, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
The nearly instantaneous process that transpires somewhere in the technological ether when a new request for information comes in has real-world reverberations.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 19 Jan. 2026
The news cycle has gotten shorter in the 2020s, in large part thanks to social media and the instantaneous spread of information.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
But by 2026, the sheer magnitude of the debt means the impact of rate hikes is instantaneous, and thus, counterproductive.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instantaneous
Ian Irving, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
The nearly instantaneous process that transpires somewhere in the technological ether when a new request for information comes in has real-world reverberations.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 19 Jan. 2026
The news cycle has gotten shorter in the 2020s, in large part thanks to social media and the instantaneous spread of information.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 8 Jan. 2026
But by 2026, the sheer magnitude of the debt means the impact of rate hikes is instantaneous, and thus, counterproductive.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for instantaneous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instantaneous
Adjective
-
No official confirmation has been issued by Libyan authorities, and there has been no immediate comment from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has long sought the younger Gadhafi’s arrest on charges of crimes against humanity.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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Migliano said his estimates were calculated using the NetBlocks COST tool, an economic model that measures the immediate impact on a nation’s gross domestic product when its digital economy is forced offline.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Easily made flourless, and enhanced by the addition of instant espresso powder, chocolate cookies are versatile in much the same way sugar cookies are.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Rubs and scrubs are powerfully restorative and facials using ESPA and 111 Skin products have instant effects.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instantaneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instantaneous. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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