instantadjective
uk/ˈɪn.stənt/us/ˈɪn.stənt/B2 happening immediately, without any delay:
This type of account offers you instant access to your money.
Contrary to expectations, the film was an instant success.
Instant food or drink is dried, usually in the form of a powder, and can be prepared very quickly by adding hot water:
instant coffee/soup
More examples
- I'm afraid Dad took an instant dislike to this new boyfriend of yours.
- Some people expect instant gratification .
- I felt an instant aversion to his parents.
- There's no instant way of finding a cure - it's just a process of trial and error.
- I can't stand instant coffee.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Immediately
- a stitch in time (saves nine) idiom
- ado
- at/in one fell swoop idiom
- bat
- cuff
- directly
- fell
- in a flash idiom
- instantaneous
- instantly
- no sooner said than done idiom
- off the bat idiom
- pronto
- quickly
- soon
- spot
- straight
- then
- then and there idiom
- thereupon
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Various qualities of food
instantnoun [ S ]
uk/ˈɪn.stənt/us/ˈɪn.stənt/an extremely short period of time:
In an instant her mood had changed.
The startled boy froze for an instant, then fled.
"Stop that noise this instant (= now)!"
I'll call you the instant (= as soon as) I get home.
Synonym
moment
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Short in time
- awhile
- be short notice idiom
- bit
- blitz
- brevity
- brief
- ephemeral
- evanescent
- fit
- flutter
- minute 1
- moment
- momentarily
- momentary
- msec
- quick
- sec
- shortish
- twinkling
- wee hours
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