in·stant·ly
ˈin(t)-stənt-lē 
1
: without the least delay : immediately
2
: with importunity : urgently
: as soon as
he ran across the grass instantly he perceived his mother—
W. M. Thackeray
W. M. ThackerayExamples of instantly in a Sentence
Adverb
His voice is instantly recognizable.
They instantly fell in love.
She was killed instantly when her car hit a tree.
Conjunction
we realized there would be problems instantly we saw the final report
Recent Examples on the Web
Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
But Alcaraz was not to be denied this time, breaking back instantly to ensure the Italian lost a grand slam set for the first time since the fourth round of the Australian Open five months ago.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 8 June 2025
New York would be a solid fit, and the Knicks would instantly be seen as one of the favorites to win the title next season.
—Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
Sod can almost instantly restore lushness to a dead patch, compared to waiting several weeks for grass seed to grow.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for instantly
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adverb
Harmon’s move came against the backdrop of the former Illinois House speaker’s upcoming sentencing for corruption and abuse of power and almost instantly created a bipartisan legislative controversy that resulted in the bill never getting called for a vote.
—Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
But Alcaraz was not to be denied this time, breaking back instantly to ensure the Italian lost a grand slam set for the first time since the fourth round of the Australian Open five months ago.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 8 June 2025
New York would be a solid fit, and the Knicks would instantly be seen as one of the favorites to win the title next season.
—Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
Sod can almost instantly restore lushness to a dead patch, compared to waiting several weeks for grass seed to grow.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for instantly
Cite this Entry
“Instantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instantly. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share