instantaneously

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'instantaneously' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that happened without any delay, or almost immediately. For example, "The fire spread instantaneously through the dry grass".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Even when Yasiel Puig is wrong he makes things right almost instantaneously – such is the charmed life of the Cuban wunderkind who is blowing the minds of baseball fans daily.

The Guardian - Sport

As they drove off, the perfect manicured lawn of the Marylands guesthouse next door caught alight almost instantaneously, as if the fire itself was liquid, spilling across its surface.

The Guardian

And powerful new computing systems can store and make sense of it nearly instantaneously.

The Economist

They react all but instantaneously to changes in supply and demand, which is one reason why they can be so volatile.

The Economist

What if that value could be provided instantaneously at the time and place most attractive to them?

The Economist

When Citibank wants to shift a surplus billion from Moscow to Mexico city, the money moves instantaneously across its own worldwide telecommunications network.

The Economist

"That consumers can switch to substitute search engines instantaneously and at zero cost constrains Google's ability and incentive to act anti-competitively," wrote the late Robert Bork, a conservative judge, in a 2012 paper commissioned by Google that he wrote with Gregory Sidak, an antitrust expert.

The Economist

Such ice cores hold detailed information on the last 100,000 years of Antarctic weather.This is because ice sheets don't form instantaneously.

The Economist

Meanwhile the sensors' signal arrives virtually instantaneously in Mexico City, where alarms are sounded, giving people just enough time to scamper out into the street before the earthquake arrives.Why can no other country develop an early-warning system like this?

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

E-commerce platforms such as Bitnet can convert bitcoins to hard currencies near-instantaneously.

The Economist

Lukewarm data those that people need to access frequently, but not instantaneously are best stored on disks.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "instantaneously" to emphasize that something happens without any noticeable delay. It's stronger than "quickly" or "immediately".

Common error

While grammatically correct, "instantaneously" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "right away" or "immediately" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "instantaneously" is as an adverb. It modifies verbs, adverbs, or clauses to indicate that an action occurs without any delay. Ludwig examples demonstrate how it's used to describe rapid reactions and processes.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "instantaneously" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adverb that describes actions happening without any delay. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is to emphasize immediacy. While versatile, it tends towards a more formal register, frequently appearing in news, scientific, and business contexts. For less formal situations, alternatives like "immediately" or "right away" might be more appropriate. Remember to use "instantaneously" when you want to highlight the swiftness and lack of delay in an action, creating a stronger impact than simpler alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

immediately

Focuses on the lack of delay, emphasizing directness and swiftness of action.

at once

Highlights the simultaneity of events; something happening without any intervening time.

in an instant

Emphasizes the extremely short duration of time in which something occurs.

without delay

Stresses the absence of any waiting period or postponement.

forthwith

Implies a sense of urgency and official command.

directly

Highlights the lack of intermediaries or steps in between.

right away

Indicates immediacy, often in response to a request or command.

in a flash

Conveys the idea of something happening very quickly and suddenly.

momentarily

Refers to something that happens very soon or in a brief amount of time.

promptly

Highlights the speed and efficiency with which something is done.

FAQs

How can I use "instantaneously" in a sentence?

You can use "instantaneously" to describe actions or reactions that happen without any delay. For example, "The news spread "instantaneously" through social media".

What is a good alternative to "instantaneously"?

Good alternatives to "instantaneously" include "immediately", "at once", or "in an instant" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "almost instantaneously"?

Yes, "almost instantaneously" is a correct and commonly used phrase. It indicates that something happens very quickly, nearly without delay.

What is the difference between "instantaneously" and "immediately"?

"Immediately" implies that something happens right away, while "instantaneously" suggests that it happens with no perceptible delay whatsoever. "Instantaneously" is a stronger and more emphatic term.