fleeting

adjective

fleet·​ing ˈflē-tiŋ 

: passing swiftly : transitory

… the often fleeting nature of fame and fortune …

—Tom Sinclair

fleetingly

ˈflē-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

fleetingness noun

Synonyms of fleeting

• flash
• brief
• temporary
• transient
• passing
• transitory
• ephemeral
• momentary
• evanescent

Choose the Right Synonym for fleeting

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 fleeting in a Sentence

I caught a fleeting glimpse of the comet.

had a fleeting desire to jump into the cool lake but kept on hiking

Recent Examples on the Web

Costume designers and Reid reinvent Lestat’s look with punk, goth and 18th century flourishes as the series explores his hunger for validation and self-knowledge rather than simple, fleeting fame. —Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026

Jessie is thrilled, but her enthusiasm is crushingly fleeting, as Emily abandons Jessie with other items in a donation box on the side of the road. —Barry Levitt, Time, 19 June 2026

His Twin Bud motif was among those recognizable creations, capturing the fleeting moment just before full bloom. —Jill Newman, Robb Report, 18 June 2026

The launch of the iPhone was also a period that marked a fleeting but powerful alliance between Google and Apple, before the relationship soured over Google’s decision to pursue its own line of smartphones. —Literary Hub, 17 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fleeting

• beating
• bleating
• cheating
• eating
• greeting
• heating
• meeting
• seating
• sheeting
• sweeting
• treating
• accreting

Kids Definition

fleeting

adjective

fleet·​ing

ˈflēt-iŋ

: not lasting : passing swiftly

a fleeting glimpse