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

That momentary misjudgment led to the Danes missing both events in California, and Sehested believes that his team’s hopes of making the cut for the top three in this November’s grand finale in Abu Dhabi are all but over for Season 5. —Andrew Rice, New York Times, 15 May 2025

Stamp reveals rare moment between Bush and Trump families The stamp unveiling appeared to be at least a momentary detente between the families that have helmed the Republican party. —James Powel, USA Today, 9 May 2025

The shift could reflect a relaxing stance toward regulating AI, offering a momentary boon for chipmakers. —Niamh Rowe, Quartz, 8 May 2025

Castillo captured their descent on film, compelled by each tile’s momentary transformation into something vivid and alive just before its demise. —Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 8 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