Definition of FLEETINGNESS

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 As if to match our fleeting attention spans, celebrity product partnerships have accelerated at a rapid clip. — Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, "Travis Scott’s Cacti Seltzer and the Long History of Hip-Hop Beverages," 8 Apr. 2021 When training is an organized part of the company, customer-centricity becomes a long-term hallmark for the company instead of something fleeting that fades when a customer-centric leader leaves. — Blake Morgan, Forbes, "What Does It Mean To Be Customer-Centric In 2021?," 5 Apr. 2021 In Mawlamyine — known for its Buddhist pagodas and fleeting mentions, by its old name of Moulmein, in a Rudyard Kipling poem and a George Orwell essay — the protests began a week after the coup. — New York Times, "‘She Just Fell Down. And She Died.’," 4 Apr. 2021 After long winter months spent hiding indoors and bundling up for fleeting trips around the block, the prospect of warmer temperatures has me desperate to get back into nature. — Remi Berger, Vogue, "In the Mood for...Pretty Spring Interiors," 4 Apr. 2021 In Mawlamyine — known for its Buddhist pagodas and fleeting mentions, by its old name of Moulmein, in a Rudyard Kipling poem and a George Orwell essay — the protests began a week after the coup. — BostonGlobe.com, "‘She just fell down. And she died.’," 4 Apr. 2021 Yet his writing, far from being the usual top-down music criticism, is spotted with small revelations and fleeting instances of recognition. — Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, "From ‘Soul Train’ to Chance the Rapper, Hanif Abdurraqib’s words capture the music of Chicago and beyond," 2 Apr. 2021 The universe is awash with these fleeting, almost massless particles, but IceCube is after a rare subset. — Daniel Clery, Science | AAAS, "Neutrino hunters go underwater in quest to trap ghost particles," 31 Mar. 2021 The name and the nature of TikTok suggests something fleeting. — Star Tribune, "TikTok dispute quickens the 'technology Cold War'," 7 Aug. 2020

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.