Word.ws English Dictionary

instant messaging

instant messaging noun: a form of realtime communication where two or more people exchange text messages, usually short, using computers or other devices with communications capabilities. Also the present participle and gerund of instant message.

Noun

instant messaging (uncountable)

  1. A form of realtime communication where two or more people exchange text messages, usually short, using computers or other devices with communications capabilities.
    Synonyms:
    IM

Also used as

instant messaging is also the present participle and gerund of instant message.

Synonyms of instant messaging

Origin of instant messaging

From instant + messaging.

From instant message (verb) + -ing.

Questions about instant messaging

What does instant messaging mean?
Instant messaging means a form of realtime communication where two or more people exchange text messages, usually short, using computers or other devices with communications capabilities.
What part of speech is instant messaging?
Instant messaging is a noun.

Words near instant messaging in the dictionary

  1. instant mashed potato
  2. instant mashed potatoes
  3. instant message
  4. instant messaged
  5. instant messages
  6. instant messaging
  7. instant messenger
  8. instant messengers
  9. instant noodle
  10. instant noodles
  11. instant replay

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: instant messaging (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Cite this entry: “instant messaging.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/instant_messaging. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.