momentary

adjective

mo·​men·​tary ˈmō-mən-ˌter-ē 

1

a

: continuing only a moment : fleeting

b

: having a very brief life

2

: operative or recurring at every moment

momentariness noun

Synonyms

• brief
• deciduous
• ephemeral
• evanescent
• flash
• fleeting
• fugacious
• fugitive
• impermanent
• passing
• short-lived
• temporary
• transient
• transitory

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

Then, a momentary explosion of what appears to be a flash-bang grenade sends smoke floating through the street. —Alina Selyukh, NPR, 31 May 2025

Clients and stakeholders recognize when your ideas are grounded in ongoing work and reflection, not just momentary marketing. —Rhea Wessel, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

The deal marks a momentary retreat for President Donald Trump, who had defended his steep tariffs on Chinese imports as critical to rejuvenate domestic manufacturing in the United States, even as the moves rattled global markets and stoked economic anxieties among Americans. —USA Today, 17 May 2025

But that momentary excitement was quickly tempered by the amount of the contract — a relatively modest $870,000 contract with HDR Engineering for construction management and engineering for phase one of a portion of trail construction. —The Vail Daily, Denver Post, 27 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for momentary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

momentary

adjective

mo·​men·​tary ˈmō-mən-ˌter-ē 

: lasting only a moment