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
EW.com, 20 May 2025
There is a split-second delay when the person began talking before the translation kicked in, but the conversation still flowed well.
—Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
Matt Moret, New York Times, 29 May 2025
There is also the cumulative stress of police work: the daily drips of violence, misery and death; the relentless staccato of calls that can spiral from mundane to dramatic in a split second.
—Katja Ridderbusch, NPR, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for split-second
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Adjective
Nick made a split-second decision that was a mistake.
—EW.com, 20 May 2025
There is a split-second delay when the person began talking before the translation kicked in, but the conversation still flowed well.
—Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
Noun
In a thousand-year-old sport where a split second can decide everything, two months will probably feel like an eternity.
—Matt Moret, New York Times, 29 May 2025
There is also the cumulative stress of police work: the daily drips of violence, misery and death; the relentless staccato of calls that can spiral from mundane to dramatic in a split second.
—Katja Ridderbusch, NPR, 26 May 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 4 Jun. 2025.
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