split second: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2General, Journalism
Quick answer
What does “split second” mean?
An extremely short, almost immeasurable moment of time.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An extremely short, almost immeasurable moment of time.
A tiny fraction of time; a moment so brief it borders on the instantaneous, often used to describe reactions, decisions, or events that occur with extreme speed.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling of the adjective form may more commonly appear hyphenated in UK English (split-second), while US English shows more variation, accepting both hyphenated and non-hyphenated forms in publications.
Connotations
Identical connotations of urgency, precision, and critical timing in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in sports and news journalism in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “split second” in a Sentence
In/For a split secondA split second laterWithin a split secondMake a split-second [noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “split second” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – 'split second' is not used as a verb.
American English
- N/A – 'split second' is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A – Not standard. Use 'in a split second' as an adverbial phrase.
American English
- N/A – Not standard. Use 'in a split second' as an adverbial phrase.
adjective
British English
- The goalkeeper made a split-second save.
- It required split-second timing.
American English
- The pilot made a split second decision.
- Split second timing is crucial in racing.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to describe rapid market changes or high-pressure executive decisions.
Academic
Rare; may appear in physics or psychology texts discussing perception or reaction times.
Everyday
Common for describing quick reactions in driving, sports, or daily surprises.
Technical
Used in fields like photography (shutter speed), engineering, or computing to denote minimal latency.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “split second”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “split second”
- Using it as a plural without 'a' (e.g., 'It happened in split seconds').
- Confusing it with 'split decision' (which is specific to boxing/judging).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., a split-second decision), it is usually hyphenated. As a noun phrase (e.g., It took a split second), it is not.
Very rarely. The standard, idiomatic usage is the singular 'a split second' to refer to one extremely brief moment.
A 'split second' emphasizes a duration even shorter than an 'instant', often implying it's almost too quick to perceive and is critical to an outcome.
It is neutral and acceptable in both formal and informal contexts, though it is vivid and common in descriptive writing and journalism.
An extremely short, almost immeasurable moment of time.
Split second: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsplɪt ˈsɛk.ənd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsplɪt ˈsɛk.ənd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In the blink of an eye”
- “In a heartbeat”
- “In a flash”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a stopwatch being 'split' into two parts – the time it takes for that split to happen is a 'split second'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A MEASURABLE ENTITY THAT CAN BE FRACTURED/SPLIT.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is a correct use of 'split second'?