# moment

/ˈmoʊmənt/ (US) · /mˈəʊmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/moment
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a short time

noun · CEFR A1

a very brief period of time.

For teachers: a brief, typically unspecified interval of time.

- Wait just a moment while I find my keys in my bag.
- The speaker paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before addressing the difficult question from the audience.

### 2. a specific point in time

noun · CEFR A2

a particular point in time when something happens.

For teachers: a precise point in time, often associated with a specific event or realization.

- It was a great moment when the team finally won the trophy.
- At that exact moment, the sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the valley just as the ceremony began.

### 3. importance

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the importance or value of an event or decision.

For teachers: the quality of being important or significant; consequence.

- The decision to move to a new country was a matter of great moment.
- The treaty was an agreement of such historical moment that it altered the geopolitical landscape for the next century.

### 4. physics/mechanics

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a measure of the turning effect of a force.

For teachers: the product of a physical quantity, such as force, and its distance from a reference point.

- The engineer calculated the bending moment to ensure the bridge was safe.
- The structural integrity of the crane depends on balancing the moment of the load against the counterweight.

### 5. statistics

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a number that describes the shape of a set of data.

For teachers: a quantitative measure of the shape of a set of points or a probability distribution.

- The first moment of a distribution is simply the mean.
- Higher-order moments, such as skewness and kurtosis, provide deeper insights into the asymmetry and peakedness of the data set.

### 6. social trend

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a time when someone or something is very popular or talked about.

For teachers: a period of significant cultural relevance or peak popularity for a person or trend.

- Vinyl records are having a moment right now as more people buy them.
- The young actress is truly having a moment, appearing on every major magazine cover this month.

### 7. characteristic behavior

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a typical or embarrassing way that a person acts.

For teachers: an instance of behavior considered characteristic of a specific person or group, often used to describe a lapse in judgment.

- I forgot my own phone number—I guess I'm just having a moment.
- The politician's confused response during the interview was quickly labeled a 'senior moment' by the local press.

## Examples

- Wait a moment while I find my keys.
- The actor paused for a moment to remember his next line before continuing the scene.
- Historians often look back at that specific moment as the turning point when public opinion shifted irrevocably against the government's proposed policy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.