transitory

adjective

tran·​si·​to·​ry ˈtran(t)-sə-ˌtȯr-ē  ˈtran-zə- 

1

: of brief duration : temporary

the transitory nature of earthly joy

2

: tending to pass away : not persistent

transitorily

ˌtran(t)-sə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē 

ˌtran-zə-

adverb

transitoriness

ˈtran(t)-sə-ˌtȯr-ē-nəs 

ˈtran-zə-

noun

Synonyms

• brief
• deciduous
• ephemeral
• evanescent
• flash
• fleeting
• fugacious
• fugitive
• impermanent
• momentary
• passing
• short-lived
• temporary
• transient

Choose the Right Synonym for transitory

transient, transitory, ephemeral, momentary, fugitive, fleeting, evanescent mean lasting or staying only a short time.

transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay.

a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

transitory applies to what is by its nature or essence bound to change, pass, or come to an end.

fame in the movies is transitory

ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

momentary suggests coming and going quickly and therefore being merely a brief interruption of a more enduring state.

my feelings of guilt were only momentary

fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult.

let a fugitive smile flit across his face

fleeting moments of joy

evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality.

the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation

Examples of transitory in a Sentence

the transitory nature of earthly pleasures

Recent Examples on the Web

The list of potential side effects is long, though most are minor and transitory. —Emma Whitford, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

Obviously, inflation wasn’t transitory, and the all-items CPI reading is up 18.8% since then. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2024

Modern designs don’t always look so versatile, but this coffee table is subtle, sophisticated, and has serious transitory style potential. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 5 Oct. 2024

This is a core belief at my company: Far from a simple transitory space, the airport lounge can become a destination in itself. —Pascal Bélanger, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English transitorie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin transitorius, from Latin, of or allowing passage, from transire

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

transitory

adjective

tran·​si·​to·​ry ˈtran(t)s-ə-ˌtōr-ē  ˈtranz- 

-ˌtȯr-

: lasting only a short time : short-lived, temporary

transitorily

ˌtran(t)s-ə-ˈtōr-ə-lē 

ˌtranz-

-ˈtȯr-

adverb