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At a moment vs At the moment

at a momentat one point in time (out of many):

  • He looked up from the desk, caught her at a moment when, against her will, tears had filled her eyes.

Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase in a moment

1. in a very short time:

  • The maids are busy preparing your room but they will be done in a moment.

2. = at a moment:

  • He forced the responsibility of two lives upon me, and, in a moment of indecision, I failed them.

at the moment1. at present; just now:

  • There are twenty residents in a converted private house, and at the moment many of them share a room.

2. at a specific point in time:

  • That gentleman was really ruined, and that at the moment when he was about to attain his end.