From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishinstantin‧stant1 /ˈɪnstənt/ ●●○ W3 adjective 1 IMMEDIATELY[usually before noun] happening or produced immediately SYN immediate an instant success a system that provides instant access to client information The women took an instant dislike to one another. The programme brought an instant response.2 [only before noun]DFF instant food, coffee etc is in the form of powder and prepared by adding hot water instant coffee instant soup
Examples from the Corpus
instant• Underwater cables permitted instant communication between the continents.• He took an instant dislike to LeRoy.• The workers are being threatened with instant dismissal.• I would reach for two mugs and two packets of the instant drink mix which was our evening ration.• Polreis and Kimsey became instant friends, a bond made closer by the fact that both ultimately adopted children.• We knew that there were no instant or easy solutions to overcome the problems that we faced.• The Marlins come as close to being instant pudding as almost any professional franchise in history.• It was a brilliant move, and one that gave Clinton instant Stature-presidential stature-in the minds of many previous doubters.• Foam-breathing would have many uses, beginning with the use of oxygenated foam for instant well-being.instantinstant2 ●○○ noun 1 [countable usually singular]SHORT TIME a moment She caught his eye for an instant. When the rain started, the crowd vanished in an instant (=immediately).instant of an instant of panic She stepped towards the door and, in that very same instant, the doorbell rang.2 → the instant (that)3 → this instantExamples from the Corpus
instant• For an instant, he seemed to look at me, too.• He could memorize a page of type or a visual pattern almost in an instant.• All my resolve during my walks along the Seine to become detached from my family vanished in an instant.• It took me an instant to recognize who he was.• The scientists looked at each other in astonishment, and in that instant, Benny bolted.• The instant she touched it Luce felt the second star dip beneath the pressure of her finger.in an instant• In the desert, dust storms can rise up in an instant.• All my resolve during my walks along the Seine to become detached from my family vanished in an instant.• All this flashed through her head in an instant.• It was functional but soft, enveloping a visitor in instant comfort and security.• My own professional credibility would be lost in an instant if I proposed a boring twit.• The Myrcan was at the stairs in an instant with his staff in his hands.• The sport has given him all this, and could take him from it in an instant.• What may be unhealthy is the desire for instant transformations, the desire for that change to take place in an instant.• Woulda killed an ordinary man in an instant.From Longman Business Dictionaryinstantin‧stant /ˈɪnstənt/ adjective happening or available immediatelyWe do not expect instant profits.The agreement will offer subscribers instant access to overseas databases.Origin instant1 (1400-1500) French Latin instans, present participle of instare “to stand on, be present”, from stare “to stand” 