Synonyms of ephemeral

ephemeral

adjective

i-ˈfe-mə-rəl 

as in flash

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 & Similar Words

• flash
• temporary
• brief
• transient
• fleeting
• passing
• transitory
• evanescent
• momentary
• deciduous
• short
• short-lived
• impermanent
• little
• fugacious
• fugitive
• short-term
• provisional
• acting
• interim
• shortish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• permanent
• eternal
• lasting
• enduring
• everlasting
• endless
• immortal
• timeless
• perpetual
• unending
• deathless
• undying
• ceaseless
• persistent
• lifelong
• durable
• long-lived
• dateless
• indestructible
• continuing
• imperishable
• indefectible

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ephemeral different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ephemeral are evanescent, fleeting, fugitive, momentary, transient, and transitory. While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

When would evanescent be a good substitute for ephemeral?

The words evanescent and ephemeral are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality.

the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation

How are the words fugitive and fleeting related as synonyms of ephemeral?

Both fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult.

let a fugitive smile flit across his face

fleeting moments of joy

When could momentary be used to replace ephemeral?

The words momentary and ephemeral can be used in similar contexts, but 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

In what contexts can transient take the place of ephemeral?

The synonyms transient and ephemeral are sometimes interchangeable, but transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay.

a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

When can transitory be used instead of ephemeral?

In some situations, the words transitory and ephemeral are roughly equivalent. However, 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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ephemeral

Underneath the broad comedy, the sagging and the seeping, Meat Suit is about that sense of loss — or rather, of constant flux, root-level change that, in truth, is always going on in our physical and ephemeral selves, but that the upending jolt of parenthood brings right to the surface. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026

Pop music is ephemeral by nature. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 15 Feb. 2026

Its only real beach is an ephemeral strand that appears seasonally, if luck will have it. —Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026

A lot of what’s gone on is just multiple expansion, optimism about a weaker dollar, excitement about consumer spending trends overseas and other ephemeral ideas that haven’t yet become manifest in the companies’ actual results. —Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026

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