adv B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

momentarily

MOH-muhn-tuh-ruh-lee

Quiz me More like this

Momentarily (adv) means For a very short period of time; briefly. Example: “She paused momentarily before answering the question.”

adv

For a very short period of time; briefly.

"She paused momentarily before answering the question."

"The screen flickered momentarily and then went dark."

Very soon; in a moment (chiefly American usage).

"The doctor will be with you momentarily."

How to use momentarily

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither "for a brief instant" or, especially in American English, "very soon."

Common mistake

If a British listener hears "the plane will be landing momentarily," they may picture the plane touching down for just a second, whereas the American speaker simply means "very soon."

UK vs US

British speakers usually mean "briefly" by this word, while Americans commonly use it to mean "shortly, in a minute" — this can cause transatlantic confusion.

Easily confused with

shortly →

Vocabulary Flow

Build your vocabulary from words like momentarily.

Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.

Start vocabulary practice

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “momentarily” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She paused _____ before answering the question.

Etymology

Formed from "momentary" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."

Synonyms

View more →

momently shortly soon progressively temporarily step by step

Related words

soon moment quickly immediately recently directly eventually shortly

Rhymes for momentarily

ILY oily lily wily daily gaily Emily doily family Sicily easily bodily

See all rhymes for momentarily →

Frequently asked questions

What does “momentarily” mean?

The word “momentarily” means for a very short period of time; briefly. In plain terms, either "for a brief instant" or, especially in American English, "very soon.".

How do you pronounce “momentarily”?

“Momentarily” is pronounced MOH-muhn-tuh-ruh-lee (/ˈməʊməntəɹəli/ in IPA).

How do you use “momentarily” in a sentence?

Here is “momentarily” used in a sentence: “She paused momentarily before answering the question.”

What is another word for “momentarily”?

Words with a similar meaning to “momentarily” include shortly, soon, progressively, temporarily and step by step.

What part of speech is “momentarily”?

“Momentarily” is an adverb.

Is “momentarily” a common word?

“Momentarily” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “momentarily” have?

“Momentarily” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: for a very short period of time; briefly.

People also searched

soon moment quickly immediately recently directly eventually shortly