Meaning & use

sec

abbreviation·Everyday

An informal short form of second, referring to a very brief moment of time.

See it in a sentence

Hold on a sec, I need to grab my keys before we leave.

She said she would be back in a sec and then vanished for twenty minutes.

A note on using this word

Sec is casual and mainly spoken; in formal writing, spell out second or a moment instead.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. adjective

Describing wine or champagne as dry, containing little or no residual sugar.

The waiter recommended a sec champagne to pair with the savory appetizers.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “sec”, then compare your use with the examples above.

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