Phrase guide

in a flash

prep_phrase · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Instantaneously; very quickly; in almost no time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • It happened so fast that it was all over in a flash.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fulgurant, fast as lightning, lightning fast, lightning-quick, quick as a flash

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

without any delay

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he was killed outright

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: instantaneously, outright, instantly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 瞬間 /瞬间 (shùnjiān) — very quickly
  • Esperanto: tuje — very quickly
  • Finnish: silmänräpäyksessä — very quickly
  • French: en un éclair — very quickly
  • German: blitzartig — very quickly
  • German: im Nu — very quickly
  • German: blitzschnell — very quickly
  • Greek: αστραπιαία (astrapiaía) — very quickly
  • Italian: in un baleno — very quickly
  • Italian: in un lampo — very quickly
  • Polish: w lot — very quickly
  • Portuguese: rapidamente — very quickly
  • Spanish: en un segundo — very quickly
  • Spanish: en un santiamén — very quickly
  • Spanish: de volada — very quickly
  • Spanish: a la volada — very quickly
  • Spanish: al toque — very quickly
  • Spanish: altiro — very quickly