transitory

adjective

tran·​si·​to·​ry ˈtran(t)-sə-ˌtȯr-ē  ˈtran-zə- 

1

: of brief duration : temporary

the transitory nature of earthly joy

2

: tending to pass away : not persistent

transitorily

ˌtran(t)-sə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē 

ˌtran-zə-

adverb

transitoriness

ˈtran(t)-sə-ˌtȯr-ē-nəs 

ˈtran-zə-

noun

Synonyms

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

Choose the Right Synonym for transitory

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 transitory in a Sentence

the transitory nature of earthly pleasures

Recent Examples on the Web

Inflation isn’t transitory and continues to be stubborn and sticky. —Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Apr. 2024

But the relative absence of stone tool fragments — what archeologists call lithic —demonstrates that peoples’ time in the tunnels was relatively transitory. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024

Summers was one of a handful of economists who correctly argued back in 2021 that inflation wasn’t transitory, as Fed officials had categorized it, and rather was more widespread and would prove to not be temporary. —Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024

Given that the chapel has stood for half a millennium — the product of a 70-year construction project under four kings: Henry VI, VII and VIII, plus Richard III — the furor over the solar panels will end up being at most a transitory distraction. —Mark Landler, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024

The drastic change is raising concerns that working-class families are being displaced — either lured by cash offers that aren’t enough to buy housing elsewhere or forced from affordable rentals — to be replaced by a well-to-do transitory population. —Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024

Regardless of whether the market overreacts to short-term disappointing news from Disney tomorrow–or whether Disney stock shoots upwards if earnings are great–Peltz’s board bid should be considered on its own merits and not merely in relation to transitory volatility in Disney’s stock price. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2024

Back then interest rates were still at rock bottom, inflation was deemed transitory and the market rewarded growth above profits. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 24 Jan. 2024

The Fed reported that 50% of the incremental increase in the CPI in December was due to the high cost of homes, which Williams identifies as a structural problem that is not transitory and that the agency will have to address. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English transitorie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin transitorius, from Latin, of or allowing passage, from transire

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

transitory

adjective

tran·​si·​to·​ry ˈtran(t)s-ə-ˌtōr-ē  ˈtranz- 

-ˌtȯr-

: lasting only a short time : short-lived, temporary

transitorily

ˌtran(t)s-ə-ˈtōr-ə-lē 

ˌtranz-

-ˈtȯr-

adverb