transient

1 of 2

adjective

tran·​sient ˈtran(t)-sh(ē-)ənt  ˈtran-zē-ənt 

ˈtran(t)-sē-;

ˈtran-zhənt,

-jənt

1

a

: passing especially quickly into and out of existence : transitory

transient beauty

b

: passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn

transient visitors

2

: affecting something or producing results beyond itself

transiently adverb

transient

2 of 2

noun

1

: one that is transient (see transient entry 1): such as

a

: a guest or boarder who stays only briefly

b

: a person traveling about usually in search of work

2

a

: a temporary oscillation that occurs in a circuit because of a sudden change of voltage or of load

b

: a transient current or voltage

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How should you use transient?

A transient mood is one that passes quickly. A brief stopover in a town on your way to somewhere else is a transient visit. A summer job on a farm is transient work, lasting only as long as the growing season. You may occasionally experience a transient episode of dizziness or weakness, which vanishes without a trace. As a noun, transient means a person who passes through a place, staying only briefly.

Synonyms

Adjective

• temporary
• flash
• brief
• passing
• transitory

Choose the Right Synonym for transient

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 transient in a Sentence

Adjective

A Summer in New York is actually Europe, the Sequel—city of transient Danes and Italians and Spaniards and French. —Guy Trebay, Village Voice, 30 July 1991

But Vandenberg, who had already written a hagiographic biography of Hamilton, was doing his personal hero no service. Rather, he trivialized him by dragging him into the transient issues of the day. —John Steele Gordon, American Heritage, July/August 1990

The mountain lies between his residence and the main road, and occludes the expectation of transient visits. —Thomas Jefferson, letter, 4 Aug. 1820

had transient thoughts of quitting her job and going back to school

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

And while Riemens had a transient lifestyle and was planning a trip to visit family in Michigan just before his disappearance, finding his truck at a nearby store quickly cast suspicion. —Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Spring Hill has the lowest transient guest rate in Johnson County at 4%. —Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2025

Noun

Suspect was 'transient' with history of 'minor' run-ins with police Sheriff Norris shared new details at a June 30 news conference about the suspect's life in the year leading up to the ambush outside Coeur d’Alene. —N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 30 June 2025

The most energetic transients: Tidal disruptions of high-mass stars NASA. —Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 5 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Latin transeunt-, transiens, present participle of transire to cross, pass by, from trans- + ire to go — more at issue entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing transient

• transient ischemic attack

Kids Definition

transient

1 of 2 adjective

tran·​sient ˈtranch-ənt 

: not lasting or staying long

transiently adverb

transient

2 of 2 noun

1

: a temporary guest

2

: a person traveling about usually in search of work

Medical Definition

transient

adjective

tran·​sient ˈtran-zē-ənt  ˈtranch-ənt 

: passing away in time : existing temporarily

transient symptoms