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

Bones show us how a dinosaur died, but footprints capture a fleeting moment of life. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026

For Walker, success isn’t about chasing fleeting trends but about creating a place that resonates across generations and where customers want to return time and time again. — Kathy Lee, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026

Instead of chasing fleeting trends, the Princess of Wales usually opts for timeless cuts, elegant colors, and the kind of pieces that will still work years later. — Madeline Dangmann, Glamour, 17 Sep. 2026

The school’s precarious status highlights how fleeting social gains can be, and how easily they can be rolled back. — Caterina Morbiato, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 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