temporary

1 of 2

adjective

tem·​po·​rary ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē How to pronounce temporary (audio)
: lasting for a limited time
temporariness noun

temporary

2 of 2

noun

plural temporaries
: one serving for a limited time
adding several temporaries as typists during the summer

Examples of temporary in a Sentence

Adjective The drug will give you temporary relief from the pain. The delay is only temporary. The settlers built temporary shelters.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Under the law, people won’t be able to camp in public spaces with tents, temporary shelters or bedding. Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 For years Sparrow Academy has had multiple makeshift classrooms in the school gymnasium, with temporary dividers serving as classroom walls. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 Some economists say companies can be less restrained by the usual competition in the midst of inflationary price hikes — and take advantage of temporary market power to pad profits. Marc Levy, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 The Supreme Court decision had handed a significant — yet temporary — win to Texas, which has been battling the Biden administration over immigration policy. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 But separately, the judges must also decide on a temporary basis whether a new and disputed law or regulation may go into effect immediately or instead remain blocked while the appeal is pending. David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 The mortality rate of Covid-19 was unknown, but to give just one example of the potential fatality rate, by late March, 2020, New York City was using refrigerated trucks as temporary morgues. Bill Donahue, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024 Bebe Hodges North College Hill's city administrator has resigned after tensions between her and the fire department led to the temporary resignation of 75 percent of the fire department this month. The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024 Two representatives: The District could see as few as two representatives if the temporary replacement to Ansari, selected by the mayor and City Council, runs for and wins both the special and general elections. Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024
Noun
While this approach seems reasonable, its tradeoffs necessitate SNAP reforms that balance keeping this costly program temporary for recipients while supporting their agency and choice for long-term self-sufficiency. Vance Ginn, National Review, 11 Mar. 2024 After removing the temporaries, Dr. Apa slid in my new veneers, which were then bonded to my current teeth's enamel. Kassidy Silva, Allure, 23 Mar. 2023 Two new installations at Storm King For those who have already visited the art center, two new installations, one permanent and the other temporary, offer compelling reasons to return. Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2021 But senators from both parties called the setback temporary, and another vote was expected as soon as Monday. Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 10 Aug. 2021 Measures of address changes, some temporary of course, were up over 27% in 2020 as moves spiked early in the pandemic and this trend has continued into 2021. Ben Baldanza, Forbes, 7 July 2021 Instead, a teacher may move from a temporary to a permanent license if the individual has not been placed on an improvement plan. Caroline Maguire and Laura Mogelson, Star Tribune, 6 May 2021 Penrod reached out to Marquette city officials, and last spring got the relevant stretch of road within the park temporary closed to evening and overnight vehicular traffic — when the emerging salamanders are on the move. Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 22 Mar. 2021 That’s a common thread for those leaving the Bay Area: embracing the ambiguity of life during the pandemic and accepting that the temporary may blur into the permanent. Anna Kramer is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Anna Kramer, SFChronicle.com, 7 Sep. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'temporary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Latin temporārius "suited to the occasion, made for the occasion, lasting a limited time," from tempor-, tempus "time, period of time" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at tempo

Noun

derivative of temporary entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1564, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of temporary was circa 1564

Dictionary Entries Near temporary

Cite this Entry

“Temporary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/temporary. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

temporary

adjective
tem·​po·​rary
ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē
: not permanent : lasting for a limited time
a temporary shortage
temporarily
ˌtem-pə-ˈrer-ə-lē
adverb
Etymology

Adjective

from Latin temporarius "lasting for only a short time," from tempus "time" — related to tense entry 1

More from Merriam-Webster on temporary

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