From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthe instant (that)the instant (that)IMMEDIATELYas soon as something happens The instant I saw him, I knew he was the man from the restaurant. Jen burst out laughing the instant she walked in. → instant
Examples from the Corpus
the instant (that)• The instant I saw the place, I knew it was the right house for us.• Motion was conserved in the precise form in which it occurred at the instant of its preservation.• Each give the instant results essential to demonstrations.• Words like solid, experienced, respected and grown-up littered the instant Cheney profiles last week.• He loved the instant of the discovery, that flash of astonishment.• I would reach for two mugs and two packets of the instant drink mix which was our evening ration.• Perseus saw her and on the instant loved her.• On the instant, a fearful commotion began on the farther side.• It was a great advertisement for Test cricket, with the instant variety of the World Cup just around the corner. 