English · Word Candidate

instant

/ˈɪnstənt/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: instants

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A very short period of time; a moment.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Khoảng thời gian rất ngắn; một khoảnh khắc

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

She paused for only an instant, which was just enough time for John to change the subject.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A single, usually precise, point in time.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Điểm thời gian chính xác

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

The instant the alarm went off, he fled the building.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Impending; imminent.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Sắp xảy ra; gần kề

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

AdjectiveRegister: dated

Examples

Impending death is thine, and instant doom.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Urgent; pressing; acute.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Cấp thiết; khẩn cấp

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

AdjectiveRegister: dated

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “instant” mean?

A very short period of time; a moment.

Is “instant” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.