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
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
Vintage photographs and very old paper ephemera are highly valued in collage and scrapbooking communities.
—Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026
The most satisfying moments come when all the chaotic ephemera disperses to make space for shimmering, ambient chords.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
This exhibition of photographs, ephemera and historical film footage will highlight the key moments in the history of the museum.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 19 Jan. 2026
Vintage photographs and very old paper ephemera are highly valued in collage and scrapbooking communities.
—Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026
The most satisfying moments come when all the chaotic ephemera disperses to make space for shimmering, ambient chords.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
This exhibition of photographs, ephemera and historical film footage will highlight the key moments in the history of the museum.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ephemera
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ephemera
Noun
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Click up to Sport or Race mode (available selections also include Wet, Comfort, and ESC Off), and suddenly the continent-crosser morphs into a high-strung canyon carver, one with enough punch to hang with more-muscular exotics.—
Jonny Lieberman,
Robb Report,
17 Jan. 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
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Clarke notes that while War Child has a presence in the live arena (their BRITs Week shows raise substantial funds for the charity), the dynamics of the music industry has changed and that compilation LPs are something of a rarity.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
26 Feb. 2026
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Loot boxes in the crosshairs James alleges Valve entices players to pay for a chance to win a rare virtual item, and that those rare items can be traded for real money in accordance with their rarity.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 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 6 Mar. 2026.
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