fleeting

adjective

fleet·ing | \ ˈflē-tiŋ

Definition of fleeting

: passing swiftly : transitory … the often fleeting nature of fame and fortune …— Tom Sinclair

Other Words from fleeting Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about fleeting

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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

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

But winning can be as fleeting as memories and an underwhelming 5-7 campaign in 2018 has some Trojans fans questioning Helton’s future. — Matt Murschel, orlandosentinel.com, "Three questions facing the Pac-12 this offseason," 5 June 2019 Surely someone with that much brain, skill, and power wouldn’t just abandon it all in favor of a fleeting feeling of anger? — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Why the Women of Game of Thrones Deserved Better," 20 May 2019 Quadrantid showers are special for their fleeting beauty. — Sara Rodrigues, House Beautiful, "How To See The First Meteor Shower Of 2019," 2 Jan. 2019 As Xi gets into his sixth year of presidency and China’s internet regulator grows more centralized, acts like these feel more elusive and fleeting. — Shannon Liao, The Verge, "2018 was the year Chinese internet users evaded censorship — briefly," 20 Dec. 2018 This inevitably puts the rights of multibillion dollar companies to control every fleeting use of their intellectual property far above an average user's right to not be censored by an algorithm that's looking out for Disney's bottom line. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "EU Passes New Copyright Rules That Could Have a Disastrous Effect," 26 Mar. 2019 However fleeting, flowers can lift your spirits and connect you to nature. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "How One Celebrity Florist Brings Flowers into the Home for Spring," 19 Mar. 2019 For the 2018 Dodgers, joy is fleeting and heartache feels endless. — Andy Mccullough, latimes.com, "Dodgers rally but bullpen falters in 6-5 loss to Marlins," 17 May 2018 Some trends transcend time, while others are more fleeting. — Maya Allen, Marie Claire, "Beyoncé's Makeup Artist Says These Will Be the Coolest Makeup Trends of 2019," 23 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fleeting.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.