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Instant vs Timely - What's the difference?

instant | timely |

As adjectives the difference between instant and timely

is that instant is (dated) impending; imminent while timely is done at the proper time.

As adverbs the difference between instant and timely

is that instant is (poetic) at once; immediately while timely is (archaic) in good time; early, quickly.

As a noun instant

is a very short period of time; a moment.

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

    * ----

    timely

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Done at the proper time.
  • Happening or appearing at the proper time.
  • * Milton
    • The timely dew of sleep.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 20 , author=Jamie Lillywhite , title=Tottenham 1 - 0 Rubin Kazan , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The athletic Walker, one of Tottenham's more effective attacking elements with his raids from right-back, made a timely intervention after Rose had been dispossessed and even Aaron Lennon was needed to provide an interception in the danger zone to foil another attempt by the Russians.}}
  • (obsolete) Keeping time or measure.
    • (Spenser)

    Synonyms

    * (done at the proper time ): well-timed * (happening or appearing at the proper time ): opportune, seasonable

    Antonyms

    * (done at the proper time ): badly timed, ill-timed * (happening or appearing at the proper time ): inopportune, unseasonable

    Derived terms

    * mistimely * overtimely * timelily * timeliness * timely-parted * untimely

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (archaic) In good time; early, quickly.
  • * 2000 , (George RR Martin), A Storm of Swords , Bantam 2011, p. 587:
    • ‘If I had been born more timely , he said, Rhaegar would have married me instead of Elia, and it would all have come out different.’
  • (obsolete) At the right time; seasonably.
  • * 1646 , (Thomas Browne), Pseudodoxia Epidemica :
    • And this we shall more readily perform, if we timely survey our knowledge, impartially singling out those encroachments, which junior compliance and popular credulity hath admitted.

    See also

    * seasonably