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
The second floor, geared for adults, presented early drafts of Seuss books and ephemera, but no unpacking of his political views.
—
Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
His repair shop still smells of Westwood Music’s old wood and lacquer, along with the ocean and the faded paper in his boxes of ephemera.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025
The museum will reopen with a survey of Tom Lloyd; an exhibition of works on paper by previous artists-in-residence; the first installment of a rotating presentation of works from its 9,000-piece collection; and a show examining the institution’s history through archival photographs and ephemera.
—News Desk, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2025
Behind the counter were commemorative pins from the pope’s visit to town in 1987, and figurines of Polish dancers, and long shelves crammed with Hamtramck ephemera from the town’s glory days.
—John Carlisle, Freep.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
His repair shop still smells of Westwood Music’s old wood and lacquer, along with the ocean and the faded paper in his boxes of ephemera.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025
The museum will reopen with a survey of Tom Lloyd; an exhibition of works on paper by previous artists-in-residence; the first installment of a rotating presentation of works from its 9,000-piece collection; and a show examining the institution’s history through archival photographs and ephemera.
—News Desk, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2025
Behind the counter were commemorative pins from the pope’s visit to town in 1987, and figurines of Polish dancers, and long shelves crammed with Hamtramck ephemera from the town’s glory days.
—John Carlisle, Freep.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ephemera
Noun
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Along with affordable exotics, young collectors are also paying up for supercars, especially rare and highly specific Paganis, Bugattis and Rufs, the boutique German builder.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2025
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All exotics should be considered New Gear.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Antique furnishings and heirlooms from the Parker family’s time in the home give it character, yet the overall feel is fresh, welcoming, and refreshingly unfussy—a rarity among historic B&Bs.—
Jill Robbins,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
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Plus, there’s a rooftop pool, a rarity in the neighborhood.—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In addition to books for sale, there will be jewelry, curios, knick-knacks, puzzles and more available.—
Andrea Manes,
Oc Register,
28 Aug. 2025
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Go treasure hunting at the Antique Center of La Crosse, a three-story trove of vintage finds and quirky curios.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ephemera.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ephemera. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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