at once
Idioms-
At the same time, as in We can't all fit into the boat at once . [First half of 1200s] Also see at one time , def. 1.
-
Immediately, as in Mother told the children to come inside at once . [First half of 1500s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Driven by Gen Z and millennials, 25% of borrowers hold three or more BNPLs at once, with 29% turning to those for groceries and 20% for delivery or takeout.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
The band thinks Dead City can play both sides at once.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
“Don’t expect it all to be started at once, this will build. Blockades take time to have an impact.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
This allows it to interact with its environment in several places at once, helping it preserve quantum information.
From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026
And at once a pang of loneliness stabbed through him.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
