the instant that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the instant that" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a specific moment in time when something occurs or is expected to occur. Example: "The instant that the clock strikes midnight, the celebration will begin."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Almost the instant that Stark dies, LadyBauer receives a phonecall.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The cameras captured the instant that Van Vleuten crumpled against the concrete, and lay horribly still.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

TORONTO — The moment that Aaron Loup turned to throw to third base was the instant that Vernon Wells sensed victory was imminent.

The New York Times - Sports

In the instant that Bachman has caught for ever, the two officers appear confused, paralysed, even defeated by her decorous protest.

The Guardian - Arts

Verizon on Wednesday outlined its goals with shared data plans, and some news organizations incorrectly reported that it would kill unlimited data plans the instant that shared data plans were introduced.

The New York Times

He jumped out of his car to follow him, the beep-beep of his car, as recorded on the 911 call, announcing the instant that he moved beyond his understood mandate as neighborhood watch coordinator.

The New York Times

Certainly, everything that came after that moment possessed an eerie, magical feeling from the instant that key fell from the car's sun visor, inside a car that was snowed in.

The New York Times

If Argento was never actually a star till now, she becomes one in the instant that Vellini leaves her husband with a flourish of her fingers and a curt "Adios!".

Independent

In Figure 1, AA′ represents a plane wave of light at the instant that A′ meets the plane refracting surface A′B separating two media having refractive indices n and n′, respectively.

Encyclopedia Britannica

By Andy Borowitz May 18, 2017 WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) — House Speaker Paul Ryan has set a Google News alert to notify him of the instant that Donald Trump becomes unpopular enough to turn against, Ryan revealed on Thursday.

The New Yorker

This is the story Google wants to tell of machine learning: an acceleration, turning the coming year into an inflection point, the instant that machine learning became good enough to start trusting.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "the instant that" to create a sense of immediacy or urgency in your writing. This phrase is particularly effective when describing a cause-and-effect relationship where the effect follows the cause without delay.

Common error

While "the instant that" is grammatically correct, overuse can make your writing sound repetitive. Vary your sentence structure by using alternatives like "as soon as", "immediately when", or restructuring the sentence to avoid the phrase altogether.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the instant that" functions as a subordinating conjunction, introducing a dependent clause that specifies when an event occurs. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's correctness and usability, indicating its role in establishing a temporal relationship between clauses.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

22%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the instant that" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase that functions as a subordinating conjunction to emphasize the immediate sequence of events. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. While versatile and appearing across various domains, including news, science, and encyclopedias, remember to use it judiciously to prevent repetitive writing. Consider alternatives like "as soon as" or "immediately when" to maintain sentence variety and enhance clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the moment when

A direct synonym focusing on a specific moment in time as the trigger for an event.

as soon as

Replaces "the instant that" with a more concise and common expression indicating immediate succession.

the very second that

Emphasizes the immediacy and lack of delay between two events.

immediately when

Similar to "the instant that" but emphasizes the immediate nature of the action following the moment.

right after

Indicates that something happens very shortly after another event.

directly following

A more formal alternative to "right after", indicating a close temporal sequence.

at the point that

Indicates a specific time when something transitions or changes.

no sooner than

Highlights the quick succession of events, often with a sense of surprise or expectation.

hardly when

Similar to "no sooner than", implying that one event quickly follows another.

upon the occurrence of

A formal and somewhat legalistic way to indicate that something happens when another event takes place.

FAQs

How can I use "the instant that" in a sentence?

Use "the instant that" to connect two events that occur in very close succession. For example, "The instant that the door opened, the dog ran out" indicates the dog's action happened immediately after the door was opened.

What can I say instead of "the instant that"?

You can use alternatives like "as soon as", "immediately when", or "the moment when" to vary your sentence structure and avoid repetition.

Is it more formal to say "the instant that" or "as soon as"?

"The instant that" can sound slightly more emphatic or dramatic than "as soon as", but both are generally acceptable in most contexts. The choice depends on the desired tone of your writing.

What's the difference between "the instant that" and "immediately"?

"Immediately" is an adverb that describes how quickly something happens. "The instant that" is a conjunction phrase that connects two events occurring in rapid sequence, providing more context by linking two specific actions together.