fleeting

1 of 3

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

fleeting

2 of 3

present participle of fleet entry 3

fleetingness

3 of 3

noun

fleet·​ing·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being fleeting

Synonyms of fleeting

Adjective

• 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

Adjective

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

Adjective

Creative endeavor, in the space of a few hours, flashes its many faces, arduous and sexy, fleeting and fun. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Rather than chasing every fleeting trend, the brand focuses on trusty staples that can work across seasons and last for years to come, making its pieces well worth the investment. — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 15 Oct. 2026

That difference is now proving itself in luxury real estate, where the quality of the experience determines whether surf is a fleeting novelty or an anchor with staying power. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026

Micro-trends are fun, yet by their very nature, equally fleeting. — Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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