fleeting

1 of 2

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 2

present participle of fleet entry 3

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

This is a place to take a risk, to surrender, and at the very least, to experience something that can only happen for you in that moment — something altogether fleeting that is just yours. — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026

This isn’t a new era of Swedish exceptionalism, nor a fleeting moment in the sun (despite the dark Nordic winter around the corner). — Jan Larsson, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

While much of the fashion world became fixated on fleeting trends and virality, Vaccarello’s discipline remained unchallenged. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026

The result will be fleeting showers stretching all the way from northern California south through San Diego Monday, with heavier rain expected in the Sierra. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 9 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