moment
A1Neutral, used in all registers from informal to formal.
Definition
Meaning
A very short, indefinite period of time; a specific point in time.
Can refer to the importance or significance of something (e.g., 'a matter of great moment'), or the quantitative measure of a turning force in physics.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core temporal sense is overwhelmingly dominant. The 'importance' sense is formal/archaic. The physics sense is technical.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal difference in the primary temporal sense. In the idiom 'wait a moment', 'just a moment' is slightly more common in the UK, while 'just a second' or 'hold on a sec' may be more frequent in casual US speech.
Connotations
Identical for primary meaning. The phrase 'moment in the sun' is common in both.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
at that/the momentfor a momentin a momentthe moment (that) S-Va moment of (noun: doubt, silence, panic)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at the moment”
- “for the moment”
- “in a moment”
- “the moment of truth”
- “on the spur of the moment”
- “not for a/one moment”
- “live for the moment”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in timelines and project management (e.g., 'at this moment in the project', 'a pivotal moment for the company').
Academic
Used in historical/philosophical analysis (e.g., 'a defining moment in history', 'the moment of conception').
Everyday
Ubiquitous for referring to short durations or specific times (e.g., 'Wait a moment', 'I'll be there in a moment').
Technical
Physics: a measure of a force's tendency to cause rotation (e.g., 'torque is the moment of force').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Rare/technical) To provide with a moment of force.
American English
- (Rare/technical) To provide with a moment of force.
adverb
British English
- (Archaic) For a moment; momentarily.
American English
- (Archaic) For a moment; momentarily.
adjective
British English
- moment-by-moment analysis
- a moment-to-moment decision
American English
- moment-by-moment updates
- a moment-to-moment choice
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Wait a moment, please.
- I'll be ready in a moment.
- At this moment, he is sleeping.
- It was a happy moment.
- Can I have a moment of your time?
- The sun came out for just a moment.
- That was the moment I realised my mistake.
- We arrived at the perfect moment.
- She hesitated for a moment before answering.
- The decision was made in a moment of panic.
- This is a critical moment for our team.
- For one brief moment, their eyes met.
- He captured the zeitgeist of the moment perfectly.
- The legislation represents a pivotal moment in environmental policy.
- From that moment forth, their relationship changed irrevocably.
- The physicist calculated the bending moment of the beam.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a MOMent as a tiny piece of time you share with your MOM, which is always brief and precious.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A MOVING OBJECT/POINT (The moment arrived, the moment has passed). IMPORTANCE IS PHYSICAL MASS/WEIGHT (A matter of great moment).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'moment' for long, ongoing processes; it's a point, not a period. 'At the moment' ≠ сейчас (meaning 'these days'), it means 'right now'. Russian 'момент' can be used more loosely (e.g., 'в один прекрасный момент').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'in this moment' instead of the standard 'at the moment'. Confusing 'for a moment' (a short duration) with 'in a moment' (very soon).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'moment' used in its technical, physics-related sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but it can feel subjectively long (e.g., 'an awkward moment that seemed to last forever'). It also has non-temporal meanings (importance, physics).
'In a moment' means 'very soon' (future-oriented). 'For a moment' means 'for a brief period of time' (duration-oriented).
Yes, 'at the moment' is synonymous with 'currently' or 'right now', referring to the present time.
No, it's formal, literary, or archaic (e.g., 'a matter of moment'). The temporal meaning is vastly more common in modern English.