instantly

1 of 2

adverb

in·​stant·​ly ˈin(t)-stənt-lē 

1

: without the least delay : immediately

2

: with importunity : urgently

instantly

2 of 2

conjunction

: as soon as

he ran across the grass instantly he perceived his mother

—W. M. Thackeray

Synonyms

Adverb

• immediately
• promptly
• now
• directly

Conjunction

• when
• immediately [chiefly British]
• once

Examples 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

Adverb

Bacon’s retirement instantly makes his district more of a pickup opportunity for Democrats, who must net just three seats to retake control of the House next year. —Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2025

With the start of the Gold Rush in 1949, Conrad writes, San Francisco almost instantly turned into a significant global port, with people and goods flowing in from around the world. —Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 21 Sep. 2025

Place an initial bet of $1 or more on any game to instantly unlock 20 100 percent profit boost tokens. —Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025

This mental shift doesn’t happen instantly—that’s why the breathwork comes first. —Marc Brackett, Time, 21 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from instant instant entry 2 + -ly -ly entry 2

Conjunction

derivative of instantly entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Conjunction

1793, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

instantly

adverb

in·​stant·​ly

ˈin(t)-stənt-lē

: without delay : immediately

came instantly when I called