transition

noun

tran·si·tion | \ tran(t)-ˈsi-shən

, tran-ˈzi-, chiefly British tran(t)-ˈsi-zhən\

Definition of transition

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another : change

b : a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another

2a : a musical modulation

b : a musical passage leading from one section of a piece to another

3 : an abrupt change in energy state or level (as of an atomic nucleus or a molecule) usually accompanied by loss or gain of a single quantum of energy

transition

verb

transitioned; transitioning; transitions

Definition of transition (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to make a transition transition into college

Examples of transition in a Sentence

Noun

We want to have a smooth transition when the new owners take control of the company. the sometimes difficult transition from childhood to adulthood The country made a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Verb

The company has transitioned to new management in the past year. a student who is transitioning to a new school

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Perhaps getting their own Instagram was just one small step in the big transition. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Officially Join Instagram," 2 Apr. 2019 What Intel’s processor shortages mean for you Swan told analysts that part of Intel’s inability to meet expectations has come as the company has struggled to transition to the 10nm manufacturing node. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Intel addresses processor shortages, CEO hunt after reporting disappointing fourth-quarter results," 24 Jan. 2019 By midmorning, Henry said, police were certain that the threat had originated out of state and wasn’t credible, so staff and students tried to transition back into their usual routines. — John Woodrow Cox, The Seattle Times, "Numerous school lockdowns are traumatizing the nation’s children," 26 Dec. 2018 Those with aphasia, who’ve lost the ability to speak, sometimes can sing familiar songs, and some can eventually be taught to transition from singing to talking. — Robert Mccoppin, courant.com, "Music Can Call Back Loved Ones Lost In Alzheimer's Darkness," 22 June 2018 Other high-tech upgrades include a newly optional digital rearview mirror that instantly transitions from a reflective material to a high-definition video feed to display a 50-degree view behind the vehicle. — Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, "The 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport Adds Style and a Hybrid Model," 21 May 2019 Typically, blond to brunette transitions can last between two and five hours at the salon, including several rounds of color and gloss. — Glamour, "7 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Going From Blond to Brunette," 30 Mar. 2019 The milestone coincides with a transition of power, as Eric and Beatrice’s daughter Saskia, 31—who appears a few minutes later—begins to take the reins from her 77-year-old father. — Jay Mcinerney, Town & Country, "A New Era Begins at Château Lafite as Baron de Rothschild Hands Leadership Over to His Daughter," 13 Aug. 2018 The Gulfstream Goodwill Store and Donation Center in Delray Beach has added a Job Connection office, which seeks to help people obtain short-term, long-term and seasonal employment or transition to better paying jobs, according to its website. — Austen Erblat, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Goodwill adds Job Connection office to Delray Beach location," 12 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Kitchen and Quenneville, both defensemen, played four seasons together (1979-83) on the Colorado Rockies and later the New Jersey Devils, after organization transitioned into a new city. — Brett Shweky, sun-sentinel.com, "Panthers’ new coach Quenneville fills out his coaching staff (and you might recognize some names)," 4 June 2019 The acquisition comes amid a flurry of similar deals as the packaged and frozen food industry reels from customers transitioning to natural and prepared foods. — Nathan Bomey, USA TODAY, "Conagra Brands buys Pinnacle Foods for $8.1B: Deal combines Hunt's, Duncan Hines companies," 27 June 2018 Even with a nearly 3-minute lead transitioning to the run, Romanenko might have been haunted by the past. — Don Norcross, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Third time’s a charm for Romanenko at S.D. International Triathlon," 24 June 2018 Those might not be receivers who can consistently win one-on-one—time will tell with Robinson (coming off a knee injury) and Miller (transitioning to the pros)—but the Bears at least have enough talent to now run a full scheme. — Andy Benoit, SI.com, "The Keys to Trubisky’s Potential," 6 June 2018 Currently, the Nationals only offers boys rec teams up to U-9 with everyone transitioning to competitive teams at U-10 or needing to find another club. — Michael Lycklama, idahostatesman, "Idaho’s top two youth soccer clubs are merging. What does that mean for your kid? | Idaho Statesman," 24 Apr. 2018 The program's goal is to shelter people for no more than 120 days at a time before transitioning them into housing. — Cynthia Hubert, sacbee, "Are giant tents the answer to Sacramento's homeless crisis? Observers aren't so sure | The Sacramento Bee," 27 May 2018 Are the horror stories described by the Register an aberration, maybe excused as a state transitioning itself to a new system? — Dylan Scott, Vox, "How much money is Iowa saving by privatizing Medicaid? It’s a mystery.," 21 May 2018 Gab wasn't able to transition to a new provider immediately, so the site was down for about a week. — Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, "Gab is back a week after Pittsburgh shooting controversy forced it offline," 5 Nov. 2018

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

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Dictionary Entries near transition

transitional epithelium

Statistics for transition

Last Updated

7 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for transition

The first known use of transition was in 1551

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More Definitions for transition

transition

noun

English Language Learners Definition of transition

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a change from one state or condition to another

transition

verb

English Language Learners Definition of transition (Entry 2 of 2)

chiefly US : to make a change from one state, place, or condition to another : to make a transition

See the full definition for transition in the English Language Learners Dictionary

transition

noun

tran·si·tion | \ tran-ˈsi-shən

, -ˈzi-\

Kids Definition of transition

: an act or the process of passing from one state, stage, place, or subject to another : change

transition

noun

tran·si·tion | \ tran(t)s-ˈish-ən, tranz-, chiefly British tran(t)s-ˈizh-\

Medical Definition of transition

1 : passage from one state or stage to another especially : an abrupt change in energy state or level (as of an atomic nucleus or a molecule) usually accompanied by loss or gain of a single quantum of energy

2 : a mutation in RNA or DNA that results from the substitution of one purine base for the other or of one pyrimidine base for the other