as in curiosa
things that are important or useful for only a short time; items that were not meant to have lasting value
—usually plural
He has a large collection of old menus and other ephemera.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ephemera
The idea is to show ephemera that is beaten and weathered, says Worthington.
—
Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Yet, even correcting for the culture’s insatiable thirst for Beatles ephemera, or that the interview will be forever shrouded in grief because of its tragic timing, this particular facet of the group’s history hardly demands a cinematic treatment.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
The collection includes handwritten lyrics, personal letters, photographs, books and other ephemera, many of which haven’t been shown publicly.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 7 May 2026
The fourth and final sale includes literature, memorabilia, and personal ephemera.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Yet, even correcting for the culture’s insatiable thirst for Beatles ephemera, or that the interview will be forever shrouded in grief because of its tragic timing, this particular facet of the group’s history hardly demands a cinematic treatment.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 15 May 2026
The collection includes handwritten lyrics, personal letters, photographs, books and other ephemera, many of which haven’t been shown publicly.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 7 May 2026
The fourth and final sale includes literature, memorabilia, and personal ephemera.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ephemera
Noun
-
European exotics were also present.—
Keenan Thompson,
Freep.com,
23 Sep. 2025
-
This has created situations like this season putting a bunch of solar buffs in the artifact, but not allowing all solar exotics to be used without penalty.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Already a rarity, this particular S-Type also has the distinction of being owned by Academy Award–winning actor Peter Ustinov before it was primarily parked at the National Motor Museum in England for more than five decades.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Greenlighting a project like this— a romantic comedy based off of an original spec script—seems like such a rarity nowadays.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
From room to room walls are covered in blue block prints or hot-pink illustrations of pear trees, while floors are scattered with artisanal rugs and a collection of curios—a rooster statue, a floral dress form—is hidden all over.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Their efforts coincided with the advent of motoring vacations in the United States and iconic roadside services like diners, motor lodges, service stations and curio shops.—
Joe Yogerst,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ephemera.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ephemera. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
