momentarily

Imagine a hummingbird hovering: it is there for a second, then gone. That quick, passing feeling is what this word often describes. It usually means for a very short time. You might briefly forget someone's name, or a light might flicker for a second before going out. It is also often used to mean "very soon" or "in a moment," especially in everyday American English, as in "The plane will depart momentarily."

The word momentarily usually describes something that happens for only a very short time. It helps paint a picture of something brief, passing, or quickly interrupted. For example, "She paused momentarily before answering" means she stopped for a second and then continued. In the same way, "The pain eased momentarily, then returned" shows that the relief did not last long.

There is also a second common use. In many modern contexts, especially in American English, momentarily can mean "very soon" or "in a moment." You hear this in announcements like "Our train will arrive momentarily" or in everyday speech like "I'll be with you momentarily." In these cases, the word points to something that will happen shortly, not something that lasts only a short time.

That is why the word can feel slightly tricky: it can look backward to a brief action, or forward to something about to happen. Usually, the sentence makes the meaning clear. "He looked up momentarily" means he looked up for a second. "He will be here momentarily" means he will arrive soon.

You may also see it in descriptions of quick changes or interruptions: "The screen went dark momentarily," or "She was momentarily confused by the question." In each case, the idea is the same: either the action lasts only a short time, or it is about to happen very soon.

So the heart of momentarily is a connection to a short stretch of time. Depending on the context, it can mean briefly, or it can mean very soon.