as in instantaneous
done or occurring without any noticeable lapse in time
a day trader who is used to making split-second decisions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in minute
a very small space of time
a devastating accident can cause everything in your life to change in a split second
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of split-second
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Law enforcement officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in uncertain circumstances.
—Jim Cook, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
In that split second Mara peeled to his right, curling around Avila for the easy lay in.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for split-second
Adjective
Adelman adamantly defended Jokic’s split-second decision, which was scrutinized even by the first-year coach’s friends.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Law enforcement officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in uncertain circumstances.
—Jim Cook, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
The ten seconds that led to the Braylon Mullins’ miracle shot were a series of reflex plays, reactions, the ultimate in instincts taking over, living in the split second, rather than in the moment.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
In that split second Mara peeled to his right, curling around Avila for the easy lay in.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for split-second
Recent Examples of Synonyms for split-second
Adjective
-
Loading media is virtually instantaneous on the Fire TV Stick HD.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
-
During back flushes, the valve is never opened more than halfway; this allows for an instantaneous flow rate of no more than 27 gpm.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Without him, Heiskanen and Harley had to log even heavier minutes in an already long and grueling game.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Catastrophic wildfires are not new for Chile, but this year’s stand out for how fast the flames spread, devouring an average of nearly 25 acres every minute.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The race came amid a broader power struggle between the two sides of City Hall early in both Mamdani and Menin’s leadership, but the election will also have a more immediate impact.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
No immediate impact likely for world oil markets The UAE’s withdrawal from OPEC won’t necessarily have any immediate effects in markets.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kapanen silenced the raucous sellout crowd at Honda Center 38 seconds after the opening faceoff with his fourth goal in four games.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The molecule is activated with hydrogen peroxide, and the micromotors move the particle at 7 micrometers per second.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
An instant fan club of sorts coalesced around Glantz.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Minutes earlier, Kelsy took advantage of an uncharacteristically lax exchange, blindsiding Jeppe Tverskov to take possession and create an instant breakaway opportunity.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The game changed in that moment.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
And thus the audience is stuck with this scenario, which complicates in intensity and with a linguistic relish that has its funny moments (for some, anyway), but also features a lot of crudity that really wrenches you away from the typical landscape of the classy, urban American farce.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His heart can beat rapidly or stop completely, and his chest can rise and fall in accordance with his heartbeat.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
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Just to get my heartbeat (up) and get on the treadmill, do a bit of running and weights.—
Kim Willis,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Split-second.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/split-second. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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