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Immediately vs Instant - What's the difference?

immediately | instant |

As adverbs the difference between immediately and instant

is that immediately is in an immediate manner; instantly or without delay while instant is at once; immediately.

As a conjunction immediately

is Indicates that the dependent clause describes something that occurs immediately after the independent clause's referent does.

As a noun instant is

a very short period of time; a moment.

As an adjective instant is

impending; imminent.

immediately

English

Adverb

(-)
  • In an immediate manner; instantly or without delay.
    • I hope we can begin immediately .
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=November 12 , author= , title=International friendly: England 1-0 Spain , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Spain failed to move through the gears despite exerting control for lengthy spells and a measure of perspective must be applied immediately to the outcome.}}

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)

    • Synonyms

    * as soon as * directly after, after, right after, etc.

    instant

    English

    Alternative forms

    * instaunt (obsolete)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) . More at (l), (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A very short period of time; a moment.
  • * She paused for only an instant , which was just enough time for John to change the subject.
  • A single, usually precise, point in time.
  • * The instant the alarm went off, he fled the building.
  • An instant beverage or food, especially instant coffee.
  • A day of the current month (abbreviated as : )
  • * In response to your letter of the twenty-first instant...

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) and (etyl) instant, from (etyl) ; see state.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (dated) Impending; imminent.
  • * Prior
    • Impending death is thine, and instant doom.
  • (dated) Urgent; pressing; acute.
  • * Bible, Rom. xii. 12
    • Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
  • * Carlyle
    • I am beginning to be very instant for some sort of occupation.
  • Occurring immediately; immediate; present.
  • * Fuller
    • The instant time is always the fittest time.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
    • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.}}
  • Lasting for a short moment; momentary; short-lived.
  • Very quickly and easily prepared.
    • instant coffee
  • Of the current month (abbreviation inst.).
  • * “I refer to your letter of the 16th inst. in regard to traffic disruption”
    • Derived terms
    * instantize, instantise * instantly * instant replay
    Related terms
    * instakill * instance

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (poetic) At once; immediately.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I.182:
    • He left the room for his relinquished sword, / And Julia instant to the closet flew.

    Related terms

    * inst * instance * instancy * instantaneous * instantaneously * instanter * instantial * instantiate * instantly

    Statistics

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