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ephemeral

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of ephemeral

lasting only for a short time
  • the autumnal blaze of colors is always to be treasured, all the more so because it is so ephemeral
Synonyms of ephemeral

brief, deciduous, evanescent, flash, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive, impermanent, momentary, passing, short-lived, temporary, transient, transitory
Words Related to ephemeral

little, short, shortish

acting, interim, provisional, short-term
Near Antonyms of ephemeral

lifelong

continuing, durable, persistent

imperishable, indefectible, indestructible
Antonyms of ephemeral

ceaseless, dateless, deathless, endless, enduring, eternal, everlasting, immortal, lasting, long-lived, permanent, perpetual, timeless, undying, unending

Synonym Discussion of ephemeral

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

Learn More about ephemeral

  1. Dictionary: Definition of ephemeral Medical Dictionary: Definition of ephemeral Spanish Central: Translation of ephemeral Nglish: Translation of ephemeral for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ephemeral for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ephemeral

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