momentary

adjective

mo·​men·​tary ˈmō-mən-ˌter-ē 

1

a

: continuing only a moment : fleeting

a momentarypause

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

Despite the rout in high-flying memory stocks, the VIX stayed well under first-quarter lows and selling in the S&P 500 was contained to momentary spasms. — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026

The tune, which was later rereleased as a duet with country artist Lainey Wilson, was a momentary win on a handful of rankings around the world. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

As noted in the game story, Miller’s recovery came after a momentary deviation from his normal chill. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026

Yet the company does have contend with fading interest from its existing consumer base; most users tend to use the product less after two weeks, except for momentary bumps from competitions. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 30 July 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