Moment — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈmō-mənt/ mo·ment

Meaning & Definition of Moment

Moment (noun)

  1. a minute portion or point of time, instant
  2. a comparatively brief period of time
  3. present time

Moment (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a particular point at which an event takes place

    "at that moment he suddenly turned around and headed toward me"

    similar: occasion, time
    related: flash, instant, jiffy, minute, second, shake, split second, trice, twinkle, wink, bit, space, spell, stretch, while

  2. the quality or state of being important

    "an event of great moment"

    similar: account, consequence, import, importance, magnitude, momentousness, significance, weight, weightiness
    related: celebrity, distinction, eminence, fame, note, noteworthiness, notoriety, preeminence, prominence, renown, store, substance, substantiveness, value, worth, worthiness, gravity, seriousness, authority, control, dominion, mastery, potency, power, sway, mark, name, report, reputation, repute, centrality, essentiality, essentialness, cachet, position, prestige, rank, standing, stature, status, glory, greatness, honor, illustriousness
    opposite: insignificance, littleness, puniness, slightness, smallness, triviality
    near: paltriness, pettiness, valuelessness, worthlessness, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, ignominy, infamy, odium, opprobrium, shame, anonymity, obscurity

  3. a very small space of time

    "I'll be there in just a moment"

    similar: beat, eyeblink, flash, heartbeat, instant, jiff, jiffy, minute, nanosecond, New York minute, second, shake, split second, trice, twinkle, twinkling, wink
    related: microsecond, snatch, spurt
    near: eon, age, eternity, forever, infinity, lifetime

  4. the time currently existing or in progress

    "I'm not doing anything at the moment"

    similar: here and now, now, present, today
    related: phase, stage, state
    near: history, past, yesterday, yesteryear, yore, by-and-by, future, futurity, hereafter, offing, tomorrow

Related Entry: Moment of truth (phrase)

Moment of truth is a different word from Moment. The synonyms below are for moment of truth, not for moment.

  1. a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action

    "The hours that the coach devoted to having the team practice the play proved worthwhile when the moment of truth arrived."

    similar: boiling point, breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, exigency, extremity, flash point, head, juncture, tinderbox, zero hour, point of no return
    related: contingency, possibility, climax, turning point, happening, landmark, milestone, condition, pass, situation, strait, deadlock, impasse, stalemate, corner, fix, hole, hot water, jam, last ditch, pinch, predicament, scrape, spot, eleventh hour, last minute

  2. a particular and often important moment in time

    "It was a moment of truth for the contestants as they waited to hear the winner's name called."

    similar: juncture
    related: beat, crack, flash, heartbeat, instant, jiffy, minute, moment, nanosecond, point, second, shake, split second, tick, trice, twinkle, wink, bit, spell, stretch, while, brink, cusp, nick, threshold, verge, crisis, crunch time, wire

Related Entry: Spur-of-the-moment (adjective)

Spur-of-the-moment is a different word from Moment. The synonyms below are for spur-of-the-moment, not for moment.

  1. made or done without previous thought or preparation

    "a spur-of-the-moment trip to the zoo"

    similar: ad hoc, ad-lib, down and dirty, extemporaneous, extemporary, extempore, impromptu, improvisational, improvised, off-the-cuff, offhand, offhanded, snap, unconsidered, unplanned, unpremeditated, unprepared, unrehearsed, unstudied
    related: unscripted, automatic, impulsive, instinctive, involuntary, spontaneous, casual, cursive, informal, unauthorized, half-baked, half-cocked, ill-advised
    opposite: considered, planned, premeditated, premeditative, prepared, rehearsed
    near: deliberate, intended, intentional

Related Entry: On the spur of the moment (phrase)

On the spur of the moment is a different word from Moment. The synonyms below are for on the spur of the moment, not for moment.

  1. with excessive or careless speed

    "They decided on the spur of the moment to fly to Paris."

    similar: cursorily, hastily, headlong, hotfoot, hurriedly, pell-mell, precipitately, precipitously, rashly
    related: headfirst, headily, hotheadedly, impatiently, impetuously, impulsively, recklessly, thoughtlessly, automatically, glancingly, haphazardly, impromptu, spontaneously, abruptly, suddenly, offhand, offhandedly
    opposite: deliberately, studiedly
    near: calculatingly, circumspectly, designedly, falteringly, haltingly, hesitantly, hesitatingly, tentatively, leisurely, slowly

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Moment

The most common words with a similar meaning to Moment:

occasion, time, account, consequence, import, importance, magnitude, momentousness, significance, weight, weightiness, beat, eyeblink, flash, heartbeat, instant, jiff, jiffy, minute, nanosecond, New York minute, second, shake, split second, trice, twinkle, twinkling, wink, here and now, now, present, today

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Moment

Words with the opposite meaning of Moment:

insignificance, littleness, puniness, slightness, smallness, triviality

Related Words for Moment

bit, space, spell, stretch, while, celebrity, distinction, eminence, fame, note, noteworthiness, notoriety, preeminence, prominence, renown, store, substance, substantiveness, value, worth, worthiness, gravity, seriousness, authority, control, dominion, mastery, potency, power, sway

Near Antonyms of Moment

paltriness, pettiness, valuelessness, worthlessness, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, disrepute, ignominy, infamy, odium, opprobrium, shame, anonymity, obscurity, eon, age, eternity, forever, infinity, lifetime, history, past, yesterday, yesteryear, yore, by-and-by, future, futurity, hereafter

Phrases & Idioms with Moment

  • the moment — as soon as

Origin & Etymology of Moment

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin momentum movement, particle sufficient to turn the scales, moment, from movēre to move

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Moment

Words & Phrases Containing Moment

moment of inertia, moment of truth, moment of clarity, moment of silence, aha moment, any moment, come-to-Jesus moment, dipole moment, for the moment

Frequently Asked Questions about Moment

What does "Moment" mean?

"Moment" means a minute portion or point of time, instant. As a noun, it is defined as: a minute portion or point of time, instant. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Moment"?

Other words for "Moment" include occasion, time, account, consequence, import, importance, magnitude and momentousness. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Moment" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Moment"?

There are 87 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Moment". Common alternatives include occasion, time, account, consequence, import, importance, magnitude, momentousness, significance and weight.

What is the opposite of "Moment"?

Antonyms of "Moment" include insignificance, littleness, puniness, slightness, smallness and triviality. Near antonyms include paltriness, pettiness, valuelessness and worthlessness.

How do you use "Moment" in a sentence?

Examples of "Moment" in a sentence: "at that moment he suddenly turned around and headed toward me"; "an event of great moment"; "I'll be there in just a moment".

Is "Moment" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Moment" is a noun.

Is "Moment" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Moment" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Moment"?

"Moment" is pronounced /ˈmō-mənt/ and divided into syllables as mo·ment.