How to Use split-second in a Sentence
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The man then made the split-second decision to climb off the ride.
— Escher Walcott, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024 -
Springsteen gives it a split-second thought and laughs.
— Nancy Kruh, Peoplemag, 2 Dec. 2023 -
That’s a record price for the split-second chronograph, of which only 12 were made.
— Morgan Haefner, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024 -
Both wheels on one side are off within a split-second of the car stopping.
— Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2024 -
His wire-to-wire tenacity made Benet squirm until the final split-second had ticked off the clock.
— Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025 -
The split-second moment comes as the officers, guns drawn, dart up a flight of stairs amid a frantic search for the suspect and the victims.
— Bradford Betz, Fox News, 22 Dec. 2023 -
The flash from a strike would arrive before the sound, a terrifying split-second.
— Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2023 -
In the footage shown over and over on TV, a curtain of water mercifully blocked the fatal split-second from the camera’s view.
— Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2024 -
Waukegan’s Carter Newsome had only a split-second to react.
— Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025 -
But a split-second act of violence in the California desert derails their plans and sets them on a crash course with tragedy.
— Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 May 2023 -
The defense in such cases, meanwhile, are known to emphasize the split-second nature at which the events unfold.
— Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2023 -
The lens snaps from near to distant subjects without hesitation on the a7R IV and takes just a split-second to go from a far-off subject to a close one.
— PCMAG, 6 June 2024 -
Within a split-second, Kelce was behind the Houston secondary, too.
— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 19 Jan. 2025 -
Quick, split-second decisions helped along by informed research and planning, and an eye for what will pop.
— Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024 -
But Williams dumped the ball off to Brandon Clarke under the rim, and Robinson, recovering once again, arrived a split-second late.
— Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2025 -
But then, out of nowhere, an arm and a hand appeared, skiing above the others, grabbed the ball at its apex in midair, controlled it with a giant palm and fingers, and slammed it home all in a split-second.
— Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press, 2 Apr. 2023 -
But as this one drew closer and a decision drew near, for a split-second the USC sophomore hesitated.
— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2024 -
When a frustrated Ford throws to a commercial break in the middle of the bit, leaving four minutes to go, Midge makes a split-second decision.
— Angelique Jackson, Variety, 26 May 2023 -
For a split-second, exactly one of my neurons raises a question: Should Kate go on Survivor?
— Molly Fitzpatrick, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2024 -
While now reflects on the the split-second decision to jump into action, switching to a hero-protector mode.
— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2025 -
The pediatric dentist must use his or her unique expertise to make split-second decisions when a six-year-old child is squirming in the chair.
— Chris Westfall, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 -
The threat of ballistic missiles requires split-second decisions on the part of Cmdr.
— Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2024 -
The findings were described in a [Related: Bee brains could teach robots to make split-second decisions.
— Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2023 -
Elden Ring runs weirdly well on the Steam Deck, but playing a game that deep, requiring split-second timing, a lot of menus, and a huge field of view, never feels fully right on the Deck.
— Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 28 Apr. 2023 -
Police officers have a split-second to make life-or-death decisions.
— Gary Drenik, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 -
Gambling is fun for the split-second rush, but getting in over your head is a serious problem that scores of Americans deal with on a daily basis.
— Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 5 Feb. 2025 -
Elite video gamers seem to have lightning-fast reaction times and make split-second decisions, but even their thoughts max out at ten bits every second.
— Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024 -
In a 2-1 decision, the judges relied on a previous case that was about police acting in a split-second decision.
— Andrew Wimer, Forbes, 4 May 2023 -
Only much later did the public realize how close Reagan came to dying that day — his life had hung in the balance of a split-second decision and an inch.
— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 14 July 2024 -
Sophie will be fine, because Level 7 starts later, but Lily needs split-second timing.
— Allegra Goodman, The New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2024
- In a split second, it was all over.
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In that split second—from out of nowhere—a car ran the red light at 80 mph.
— Spencer McFadden Hoge and Cynthia McFadden, Town & Country, 25 Oct. 2020 -
In a split second, holes were coming through the walls.
— Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News, 7 Oct. 2021 -
But has all of the fights and all of those years taken away just a split second?
— Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2019 -
Rapid-fire, the tongue can be deployed in a split second.
— Shane Black, National Geographic, 8 June 2018 -
The kick looked good for a split second but then veered hard to the right and outside the uprights.
— David Brandt, ajc, 9 Oct. 2022 -
In just that split second, the show had already moved on.
— Mark Gray, PEOPLE.com, 16 May 2022 -
But for Sayali Apte, 23 is the age that life changed in a split second.
— Carrie Kerpen, Forbes, 25 May 2021 -
The robber froze for a split second and watched Bartek hit the pavement.
— Cory Shaffer, cleveland, 26 July 2022 -
It’s one of those things that can happen in a split second.
— Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 27 Oct. 2020 -
When the man turns for a split second, Gallagher fires two rounds.
— David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2022 -
For a split second, time seemed to freeze, as neither team turned to head back down the court.
— Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2022 -
Lopes came off the bag for a split second, giving Marte time to tag him out.
— Nick Piecoro, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2023 -
And for me, for a split second tonight, life felt normal. ...
— USA Today, 25 Sep. 2020 -
Just to know in the matter of split seconds, things happen.
— Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 27 July 2023 -
Both Apple Maps and Google Maps found it in a split second.
— Eric A. Taub, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2018 -
Gimenez made a split second turn and throw to get Schneider at first and end the inning.
— Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 10 Aug. 2023 -
Squeeze your biceps at the top for a split second, then lower the weight back down.
— Jeff Tomko, Men's Health, 2 Feb. 2023 -
His shot goes right to Navas, who spills it for a split second, but collects.
— Matthew Futterman and Victor Mather, New York Times, 23 June 2018 -
For a split second the play looks like a kickoff return.
— Andy Staples, SI.com, 24 Oct. 2017 -
These men…are wearing masks, and Archie saw the shooter for a split second.
— Christopher Rosa, Glamour, 11 Oct. 2017 -
The key to surviving a tour is to be able to see where anything lives in a split second.
— Eve Barlow, GQ, 25 June 2018 -
To start, the puppy only needs to focus on you for a split second.
— Jennifer Williams, Fox News, 11 May 2018 -
For a split second, or maybe a couple of seconds, or maybe a minute, or five.
— Corey Seymour, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2025 -
Most runners might have called it a day, and Hassan said the thought crossed her mind for a split second.
— Eddie Pells, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Aug. 2021 -
My dream was taken away from me, and in a split second, Simon just gave that dream back to me.
— Joelle Goldstein, Peoplemag, 9 Jan. 2024 -
But in a split second, a scuffle broke out and a few people made off with all the rations.
— Carlos Mureithi, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 June 2023 -
There was a split second of silence, and then, sheer bedlam.
— Eric He, The Mercury News, 5 July 2019 -
There comes a time when that certainty of touch and movement as a batsman is a split second out.
— Tim Ellis, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024 -
Thomas Partey forced a turnover and with one touch stole the ball and diverted it for Odegaard, who needed only a split second to steer the ball on for Trossard in space.
— Amy Lawrence, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'split-second.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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