Moment vs. Spell — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 17, 2024
Moment refers to a very brief period of time, emphasizing brevity, while spell can mean a longer, indefinite period, often implying a duration with a specific character or influence.
Difference Between Moment and Spell
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Key Differences
A moment is typically used to describe an extremely short or precise point in time, often a significant one in various contexts, such as emotional or historical moments. On the other hand, spell can be used to describe a stretch of time that is longer than a moment and can be indefinite, commonly used to describe periods of weather (like a cold spell) or states of being.
Moments are often associated with brief experiences that are fleeting, such as a moment of clarity or a momentary lapse. Whereas spells might refer to more sustained periods, like a spell of dizziness or a spell of silence, suggesting a continuation of state or condition over time.
In everyday usage, 'moment' conveys a sense of immediacy and urgency, suggesting something that requires immediate attention or occurs quickly. In contrast, 'spell' implies a more relaxed or extended timeline, allowing for ongoing events or effects to unfold.
Scientifically, a moment can refer to a specific measurement of time, often considered to be brief and precise. On the other hand, a spell does not have a fixed scientific definition in terms of duration and is more flexible in its temporal scope.
In literature and speech, using 'moment' can add a dramatic or poignant effect due to its brevity and impact, enhancing the importance of the time being described. Conversely, using 'spell' can evoke a sense of lingering or continuity, often to emphasize the enduring nature of a scenario or feeling.
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Comparison Chart
Duration
Very short, precise
Longer, indefinite
Usage in context
Urgency, significance
Continuity, ongoing state
Common associations
Fleeting experiences
Sustained periods or conditions
Scientific context
Specific measurement of time
No fixed scientific duration
Literary effect
Adds drama or poignancy
Evokes lingering or continuity
Compare with Definitions
Moment
A minute portion of time in a narrative.
For a moment, everything seemed to stop.
Spell
A period of enchantment or attraction.
The city held him in its spell for years.
Moment
A very brief period of time.
She paused for a moment before answering.
Spell
A period characterized by a particular condition.
She was under a spell of confusion.
Moment
An exact point in time.
At that moment, the phone rang.
Spell
An indefinite period of time.
We had a dry spell last summer that lasted weeks.
Moment
A short but crucial event.
The presentation was his moment to shine.
Spell
A term used in magical contexts.
The witch cast a spell.
Moment
A significant time.
The moment the agreement was signed, celebrations began.
Spell
A term used for describing a turn or stint.
I did my spell of guard duty last night.
Moment
A brief, indefinite interval of time.
Spell
To name or write in order the letters constituting (a word).
Moment
A specific point in time, especially the present time
He is not here at the moment.
Spell
To constitute the letters of (a word)
These letters spell animal.
Moment
A point in time that is gratifying or noteworthy
Even working on a dictionary has its moments.
Spell
To add up to; signify
Their unwise investment could spell financial ruin.
Moment
An occasion affording an opportunity
Viewed the blunder as a teachable moment.
Spell
To name or write in order the letters of a word or words
I've never been able to spell very well.
Moment
A particular period of importance, influence, or significance in a series of events or developments
A great moment in history.
Waiting for her big moment.
Spell
To put (someone) under a spell; bewitch.
Moment
Outstanding significance or value; importance
A discovery of great moment.
Spell
To relieve (someone) from work temporarily by taking a turn.
Moment
A brief period of time that is characterized by a quality, such as excellence, suitability, or distinction
A lackluster performance that nevertheless had its moments.
Spell
To allow (someone) to rest a while.
Moment
An essential or constituent element, as of a complex idea.
Spell
To take turns working.
Moment
A phase or aspect of a logically developing process.
Spell
(Australian) To rest for a time from an activity.
Moment
The product of a quantity, such as force or mass, and its perpendicular distance from a reference point.
Spell
A word or formula believed to have magic power.
Moment
The tendency to cause rotation about a point or axis.
Spell
A bewitched state or trance
The sorcerer put the prince under a spell.
Moment
(Statistics) The expected value of a positive integer power of a random variable. The first moment of a random variable is the mean of its probability distribution.
Spell
A compelling attraction; charm or fascination
The spell of the theater.
Moment
A brief, unspecified amount of time.
Wait a moment, while I lock the front door.
Spell
A short, indefinite period of time.
Moment
The smallest portion of time; an instant.
Spell
(Informal) A period of weather of a particular kind
A dry spell.
Moment
(figurative) Weight or importance.
Spell
One's turn at work.
Moment
Ellipsis of moment of force
Spell
A period of work; a shift.
Moment
A definite period of time, specifically one-tenth of a point, or one-fortieth or one-fiftieth of an hour.
Spell
(Australian) A period of rest.
Moment
A petit mal episode; such a spell.
Spell
(Informal) A period of physical or mental disorder or distress
A dizzy spell.
Moment
(colloquial) A fit; a brief tantrum.
Spell
(Informal) A short distance.
Moment
(math) An infinitesimal change in a varying quantity; an increment or decrement.
Spell
Words or a formula supposed to have magical powers.
He cast a spell to cure warts.
Moment
(math) A quantitative measure of the shape of a set of points.
If the points represent mass, then the zeroth moment is the total mass, the first moment divided by the total mass is the center of mass, and the second moment is the rotational inertia.
Spell
A magical effect or influence induced by an incantation or formula.
Under a spell
Moment
(As in "X moment") An embarrassing event, supposed to be characteristic of some person, group, or situation.
Woman moment
Reddit moment
Spell
(obsolete) Speech, discourse.
Moment
A minute portion of time; a point of time; an instant; as, at that very moment.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.
Spell
A shift (of work); (rare) a set of workers responsible for a specific turn of labour.
Moment
Impulsive power; force; momentum.
The moments or quantities of motion in bodies.
Touch, with lightest moment of impulse,His free will.
Spell
(informal) A definite period (of work or other activity).
Moment
Importance, as in influence or effect; consequence; weight or value; consideration.
Matters of great moment.
It is an abstruse speculation, but also of far less moment and consequence of us than the others.
Spell
(colloquial) An indefinite period of time (usually with a qualifier); by extension, a relatively short distance.
Moment
An essential element; a deciding point, fact, or consideration; an essential or influential circumstance.
Spell
A period of rest; time off.
Moment
An infinitesimal change in a varying quantity; an increment or decrement.
Spell
A period of illness, or sudden interval of bad spirits, disease etc.
Moment
Tendency, or measure of tendency, to produce motion, esp. motion about a fixed point or axis.
Spell
(cricket) An uninterrupted series of alternate overs bowled by a single bowler.
Moment
A particular point in time;
The moment he arrived the party began
Spell
(dialectal) A splinter, usually of wood; a spelk.
Moment
An indefinitely short time;
Wait just a moment
It only takes a minute
In just a bit
Spell
The wooden bat in the game of trap ball, or knurr and spell.
Moment
At this time;
The disappointments of the here and now
She is studying at the moment
Spell
To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.
Moment
Having important effects or influence;
Decisions of great consequence are made by the president himself
Virtue is of more moment that security
Spell
To read (something) as though letter by letter; to peruse slowly or with effort.
Moment
The moment of a couple is the product of its force and the distance between its opposing forces
Spell
To write or say the letters that form a word or part of a word.
Moment
The n-th moment of a distribution is the expected value of the n-th power of the deviations from a fixed value
Spell
(intransitive) To be able to write or say the letters that form words.
I find it difficult to spell because I'm dyslexic.
Spell
(transitive) Of letters: to compose (a word).
The letters “a”, “n” and “d” spell “and”.
Spell
To clarify; to explain in detail.
Please spell it out for me.
Spell
(transitive) To indicate that (some event) will occur.
This spells trouble.
Spell
To constitute; to measure.
Spell
(obsolete) To speak, to declaim.
Spell
(obsolete) To tell; to relate; to teach.
Spell
(transitive) To work in place of (someone).
To spell the helmsman
Spell
(transitive) To rest (someone or something), to give someone or something a rest or break.
They spelled the horses and rested in the shade of some trees near a brook.
Spell
To rest from work for a time.
Spell
A spelk, or splinter.
Spell
The relief of one person by another in any piece of work or watching; also, a turn at work which is carried on by one person or gang relieving another; as, a spell at the pumps; a spell at the masthead.
A spell at the wheel is called a trick.
Spell
The time during which one person or gang works until relieved; hence, any relatively short period of time, whether a few hours, days, or weeks.
Nothing new has happened in this quarter, except the setting in of a severe spell of cold weather.
Spell
One of two or more persons or gangs who work by spells.
Their toil is so extreme that they can not endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeeded by spells.
Spell
A gratuitous helping forward of another's work; as, a logging spell.
Spell
A story; a tale.
Spell
A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any charm.
Start not; her actions shall be holy asYou hear my spell is lawful.
Spell
To supply the place of for a time; to take the turn of, at work; to relieve; as, to spell the helmsman.
Spell
To tell; to relate; to teach.
Might I that legend find,By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes.
Spell
To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.
He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot.
Spell
To constitute; to measure.
The Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did spell but one in effect.
Spell
To tell or name in their proper order letters of, as a word; to write or print in order the letters of, esp. the proper letters; to form, as words, by correct orthography.
The word "satire" ought to be spelled with i, and not with y.
Spell
To discover by characters or marks; to read with difficulty; - usually with out; as, to spell out the sense of an author; to spell out a verse in the Bible.
To spell out a God in the works of creation.
To sit spelling and observing divine justice upon every accident.
Spell
To form words with letters, esp. with the proper letters, either orally or in writing.
When what small knowledge was, in them did dwell,And he a god, who could but read or spell.
Spell
To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study.
Where I may sit and rightly spellOf every star that heaven doth shew,And every herb that sips the dew.
Spell
A psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
Spell
A time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else);
It's my go
A spell of work
Spell
A period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition;
He was here for a little while
I need to rest for a piece
A spell of good weather
A patch of bad weather
Spell
A verbal formula believed to have magical force;
He whispered a spell as he moved his hands
Inscribed around its base is a charm in Balinese
Spell
Recite the letters of or give the spelling of;
How do you spell this word?
Spell
Indicate or signify;
I'm afraid this spells trouble!
Spell
Write or name the letters that comprise the conventionally accepted form of (a word or part of a word);
He spelled the word wrong in this letter
Spell
Place under a spell
Common Curiosities
What is typically shorter, a moment or a spell?
A moment is typically much shorter than a spell.
What is the common usage of 'moment' in everyday language?
It commonly describes brief, significant points in time.
Which term is more flexible in terms of duration?
'Spell' is more flexible, often used to describe a range of durations.
How does 'spell' imply duration in common speech?
It often suggests a longer or ongoing period.
Can the term 'spell' be used in a magical context?
Yes, 'spell' can refer to magical enchantments, unlike 'moment'.
Can both terms be used to describe emotional states?
Yes, both can describe emotional states, but a moment usually refers to a brief instance, while a spell could indicate a lingering state.
Is 'moment' used more in scientific contexts?
Yes, 'moment' is more precise and often used in scientific and technical contexts.
How can using 'moment' or 'spell' affect the tone of a narrative?
'Moment' adds immediacy, while 'spell' suggests a more extended or enchanting scenario.
Are there any contexts where 'moment' and 'spell' might mean the same thing?
Generally, they refer to different lengths of time and are not interchangeable.
Is there a specific literary advantage to using 'moment'?
It can heighten the dramatic impact of a narrative due to its connotation of brevity and significance.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
