Meaning & use
in a heartbeat
Last updated
UK/ɪn ə ˈhɑːtbiːt/
US/ɪn ə ˈhɑːrtbiːt/
Meaning
phraseidiominformal
Immediately and without any hesitation, as when you would instantly agree or act.
Grammar: Comes at the end of a clause: I would say yes in a heartbeat.
Patterns
- would do something in a heartbeat
I would move to Italy in a heartbeat if I got the chance.
She said yes in a heartbeat when they offered the job.
He would help his brother in a heartbeat.
Common combinations
- say yes in a heartbeat
- I would say yes in a heartbeat.
- do it in a heartbeat
- Given the chance, I would do it in a heartbeat.
- accept in a heartbeat
- They accepted the offer in a heartbeat.
- gone in a heartbeat
- The tickets were gone in a heartbeat.
Synonyms and how they differ
- instantly
- Instantly just says right away, while in a heartbeat also shows eagerness.
- without hesitation
- This is more formal and focuses on lack of doubt.
- in a flash
- In a flash stresses speed, whereas in a heartbeat adds willingness.
- at the drop of a hat
- This idiom suggests readiness to act for any small reason.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: in a heartbeat or heartbeat?
in a heartbeat vs heartbeat
The noun means a pulse, but the idiom is about time.
Practice
If someone says 'I would take that job in a heartbeat', they mean ____.
Choose one answer.
In a heartbeat means immediately and eagerly. Thinking carefully is the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “in a heartbeat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.