momentary

adjective

mo·​men·​tary ˈmō-mən-ˌter-ē 

1

a

: continuing only a moment : fleeting

a momentary pause

b

: having a very brief life

2

: operative or recurring at every moment

momentariness noun

Synonyms of momentary

• flash
• brief
• temporary
• transient
• passing
• fleeting

Choose the Right Synonym for momentary

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 momentary in a Sentence

He experienced a momentary loss of consciousness.

the pain of the flu shot was only momentary

Recent Examples on the Web

Not long after the twins were born, Willis had momentary doubts about the procedure. — Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026

More than one in four people 65 and older in the United States fall each year, and a momentary loss of balance can lead to serious injuries like hip fractures. — Kathleen Felton, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026

It got blown out by a momentary glitch, magnified by his lack of controls. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026

Before the fumble, which came on a sack by linebacker Quintavius Johnson, Jones had provided a momentary spark after Sumrall benched Philo following Florida’s third series. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for momentary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• apiary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• bacillary
• beriberi
• bestiary
• breviary
• budgetary

Kids Definition

momentary

adjective

mo·​men·​tary ˈmō-mən-ˌter-ē 

: lasting only a moment