moment

noun

ˈmō-mənt How to pronounce moment (audio)
Definition of momentnext
1
as in time
a particular point at which an event takes place at that moment he suddenly turned around and headed toward me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in importance
the quality or state of being important an event of great moment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in minute
a very small space of time I'll be there in just a moment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in today
the time currently existing or in progress I'm not doing anything at the moment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun moment differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of moment are consequence, importance, significance, and weight. While all these words mean "a quality or aspect having great worth or significance," moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence.

a decision of great moment

Where would consequence be a reasonable alternative to moment?

The words consequence and moment can be used in similar contexts, but consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects.

the style you choose is of little consequence

When is importance a more appropriate choice than moment?

The synonyms importance and moment are sometimes interchangeable, but importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something or someone.

a region with no cities of importance

When can significance be used instead of moment?

While in some cases nearly identical to moment, 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

When could weight be used to replace moment?

While the synonyms weight and moment are close in meaning, weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something.

the argument carried no weight with the judge

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of moment Meghan Markle shared a lighthearted clip from a milestone moment in her personal life. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 5 June 2025 Still, as this last week has epitomized, there is an ever-present lack of certainty hanging over the state of the staff as well, with the recovery of any injured pitcher seemingly liable to shift at any moment. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025 In a private moment, Cavallari and Anderson recalled how her night with Powell, 36, came about during a recent trip to Greece. —Julia Moore, People.com, 5 June 2025 When the man is hauled to Dachau, Charlotte considers this a stroke of luck—a moment that most reveals the ghastly darkness of Charlotte’s heart, but not the last. —Diana Arterian june 5, Literary Hub, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for moment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moment
  1. time
  2. importance
  3. minute
  4. today
  5. occasion
  6. significance
  7. second
  8. present
Noun
  • Another issue will be healing a nation that feels as polarized as at any time in living memory.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 June 2025
  • Additionally, Shimamura says that the Japanese film industry is too focused on the domestic box office at times, when there is huge growth potential for some of Japan’s IP to bring in profits from overseas.
    — Sara Merican, Deadline, 4 June 2025
Definition of time
Noun
  • Given the importance of timely loc upkeep, clients may feel pressured to accept whatever slot is offered, even at unusual hours.
    — Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
  • Nevertheless, the intersection of these two fields is growing in importance and deserves serious attention from business leaders, engineers and investors.
    — Paul Lipman, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Definition of importance
Noun
  • The song runs on for more than six minutes on the album, including a perfectly gnarly guitar solo from Freeman himself.
    — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2025
  • According to the brand, the sunscreen is also water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, which is ideal for all upcoming pool and beach escapades.
    — Izzy Baskette, People.com, 30 May 2025
Definition of minute
Noun
  • But today, the singer stops short of perfectionism.
    — Stephen Daw, Billboard, 2 June 2025
  • The programs were unveiled at Corus’s Specialty Upfront today in Canada.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 June 2025
Definition of today
Noun
  • The ruse, Smith suggested in her memoir, was employed successfully on at least one occasion.
    — Laurie Gwen Shapiro, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
  • Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, and Sebastian Vettel have 14 championships between them, and each blotted their copybooks on more than one occasion.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 June 2025
Definition of occasion
Noun
  • Through her lectures and art, Sangeetha champions faith, inclusivity, and the spiritual significance of cultures, striving to create a more compassionate, understanding, and harmonious world.
    — Benjamin Liong Setiawan, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Just take a hike along the tundra regions of Western Canada, and the significance of that phrase will become clear to you.
    — Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2025
Definition of significance
Noun
  • Gonzalez said his home run Friday, his second of the season, included a hunting trip.
    — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2025
  • The electric muscle car was gaining as much as a mile-per-hour a second, as depicted in the video above.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 6 June 2025
Definition of second
Noun
  • At present, there is no available information on the containment or cause of the fire.
    — CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2025
  • From past to present, Angela remains a style icon worth emulating.
    — Essence, Essence, 3 June 2025
Definition of present

Phrases Containing moment

Browse Nearby Words

mome
moment
momenta
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Moment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moment. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on moment

Nglish: Translation of moment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about moment

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Some Data About 'Datum'

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All