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.
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Recent Examples of ephemera
One of the world’s largest exhibitions of olden literature is gathering more than a hundred booksellers from across the globe to share their choicest wares — rare tomes, illustrations, maps, historical documents and random ephemera guaranteed to level-up your bookshelf and walls.
—
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
Put this precious collection of paintings, sculptures, and ephemera at the top of your Milanese to-do list, and you will be rewarded with the world’s largest collection of Leonardo da Vinci drawings and notes, as well as a Caravaggio.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
Blue Moon Antique Mall A wonderland of vintage ephemera, Blue Moon Antique Mall is the oldest and largest of its kind in the area.
—Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 29 Jan. 2026
Through its doors, an ersatz ballroom, shrouded in a fog-machine haze, houses Regency-era ephemera and a dance instructor.
—Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
Put this precious collection of paintings, sculptures, and ephemera at the top of your Milanese to-do list, and you will be rewarded with the world’s largest collection of Leonardo da Vinci drawings and notes, as well as a Caravaggio.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
Blue Moon Antique Mall A wonderland of vintage ephemera, Blue Moon Antique Mall is the oldest and largest of its kind in the area.
—Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 29 Jan. 2026
Through its doors, an ersatz ballroom, shrouded in a fog-machine haze, houses Regency-era ephemera and a dance instructor.
—Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ephemera
Noun
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The list includes coveted exotics, like the Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM, along with some unexpected names, like the Toyota Rav4 EV short-wheelbase prototype.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
3 Mar. 2026
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These results further reinforced the depth of demand across both European exotics and culturally significant collector cars.—
Matthew MacConnell,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Rangers have tickets available for their home opener, something of a rarity.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 2026
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Bodytraffic quickly became a beacon for contemporary dance in a city where such a company was a rarity.—
Steven Vargas,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, admirers, colleagues and gallery workers have sent her curios from New Mexico, Tennessee, New England and beyond.—
Leigh-Ann Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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The curio cabinets are empty of their curiosities.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ephemera.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ephemera. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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