transient

adjective

tran·sient | \ ˈtran(t)-sh(ē-)ənt

; ˈtran-zē-ənt, ˈtran(t)-sē-; ˈtran-zhənt, -jənt\

Definition of transient

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

transient

noun

tran·sient | \ ˈtran(t)-sh(ē-)ənt

; ˈtran-zē-ənt, ˈtran(t)-sē-; ˈtran-zhənt, -jənt\

Definition of transient (Entry 2 of 2)

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

2a : a temporary oscillation that occurs in a circuit because of a sudden change of voltage or of load

b : a transient current or voltage

Other Words from transient Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym How Should You Use transient? More Example Sentences Learn More about transient

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Choose the Right Synonym for transient

Adjective

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

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. The hoboes and tramps of earlier years were some of our most colorful transients, known for hopping freight trains, panhandling on the street, and stealing homemade pies cooling on the windowsill.

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Far from being hinderances to a more streamlined life, my objects are the steadfast companions in the kind of semi-transient existence typical of New Yorkers of a certain age. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "Please Stop Trying to Make Me KonMari My Home," 21 Mar. 2019 Another major culprit of transient pain is certain personal care products, says Dr. Coady. — Elyssa Goodman, Glamour, "7 Causes of Pain During Sex—and What to Do About Them," 21 Mar. 2019 With mindfulness, the goal is to focus on the present moment, the eternal now, as the result of transient thoughts and feelings. — Robert M. Thorson, WSJ, "‘Timefulness’ Review: Thinking in Eons," 30 Dec. 2018 Their rarity and transient nature have helped keep them from being better understood. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "We’ve seen more fast radio bursts, but we still don’t know what they are," 11 Oct. 2018 Washington is a transient city where many retain their loyalties to the hometown teams, yet even that loyalty draws them to Nationals Park when their team is in town. — Gerald F. Seib, WSJ, "Baseball Bridges the Political Divide in Washington," 16 July 2018 Los Angeles Times Ventura's police chief says his officers erred in not responding to reports of a transient scaring people in the city's boardwalk. — Benjamin Oreskes, latimes.com, "Essential California: More rent control, maybe?," 24 Apr. 2018 Gay elongates each of these episodes, however transient or absurd, lavishly appointing them with supple, ornate prose. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Revitalizing the Southern Gothic Style," 19 July 2018 When capsaicin binds to and activates a kind of pain receptor called transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), the receptors communicate with your brain and cause a burning sensation. — Sophie Saint Thomas, SELF, "Here's Exactly What to Do If You Get Something Spicy on Your Vulva or Vagina," 12 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Employees at Pink Baby for You, a nail salon, swapped out the plastic tip jar on the counter for a smaller one after transients came in and tried to grab it. — Dakota Smith, latimes.com, "Los Feliz traffic median's latest makeover might include planters in a bid to thwart homeless encampments," 25 Apr. 2018 The city admits that the space has been plagued by transients, crime and loitering. — Karen Pearlman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Architecture students hope to freshen Lemon Grove park," 11 July 2018 Previously, researchers suggested that these dark streaks could be caused by transient, flowing briny water, perhaps indicating that Mars is habitable, as many have suspected over time. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, "Wow! This Fresh Meteoroid Impact on Mars Triggered a Dusty Avalanche," 19 June 2018 While the study paints a picture of cultural and genetic turmoil that matches the historical record, somehow its effects ended up being transient. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Using Medieval DNA to track the barbarian spread into Italy," 14 Sep. 2018 The cleanliness and perception/presence of homeless/transients, crime and criminal activity was the largest deterrent to community members spending more time downtown, the city reported. — Karen Pearlman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "L.G. ready to move along on vision for future of downtown," 23 Apr. 2018 So the transients, mostly women and children displaced from nearby towns, ventured outside their temporary housing on Monday for some air, witnesses said. — Saeed Al-batati And Rick Gladstone, New York Times, "Saudi Bombing Is Said to Kill Yemeni Civilians Seeking Relief From the Heat," 2 Apr. 2018 Kevin Talbott, a transient from the Poway area, matched the description of a possible suspect in the homicide, sheriff's Lt. — Steve Dreyer, Pomerado News, "Man fatally stabbed in Poway," 15 Jan. 2018 There is even the perception that our district is a suitable place for dangerous social experiments, such as drug needle distribution programs and portable toilets for transients. — Michelle Figueredo-wilson, latimes.com, "Westside Costa Mesa deserves a strong voice on the City Council," 19 June 2018

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