Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of evanescent are ephemeral, fleeting, fugitive, momentary, transient, and transitory. While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality.

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

Where would ephemeral be a reasonable alternative to evanescent?

The words ephemeral and evanescent can be used in similar contexts, but ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

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

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 is it sensible to use momentary instead of evanescent?

In some situations, the words momentary and evanescent are roughly equivalent. However, 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 evanescent?

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

a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

When is transitory a more appropriate choice than evanescent?

The words transitory and evanescent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of evanescent The finished product is bright and evanescent, sweet but not too sweet, celebratory, fun, and delicious. Erik Ofgang, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025 Sketches and blackouts are often evanescent, like an idea sketched on a cocktail napkin; some last only a few seconds yet might have been fiendishly complicated to prepare and execute. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2023 On the plus side are our memories, which elevate the evanescent pleasure of the meal to the longer-term reward of enjoyment. Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2022 More often, though, the new songs are evanescent. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Nov. 2022 See All Example Sentences for evanescent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evanescent
Adjective
  • What To Know A map shared by the NWS on Facebook showed a broad corridor of flash-flood risk spanning the Western states and Southern Plains.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
  • The emerging miners, exposed directly to the flash during its first split second, were covered in flash-absorbing black.
    Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • At the very end, his mother made a brief appearance to wrap up the routine.
    Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The two most recently fought a brief conflict earlier this year.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • For scientists who track animal behavior, the eclipse provided the perfect natural experiment to see how birds react to temporary changes in light, something that is difficult to achieve in a laboratory setting.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
  • And yet these wins may be temporary—the Administration is pursuing appeals.
    Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In fact, the tranquility of the rocking waves, or maybe the transient, ineffable quality of the water, seems to have lodged in Christian’s brain.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The recent brightening could be a transient outburst rather than a steady increase as the comet approaches to the sun, only time will tell.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Rush is the more logical choice if the Ravens are prioritizing making plays downfield in the passing game.
    Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
  • He's tied for the third-most passing touchdowns and is fourth in passing yards and ninth in passer rating so far this season.
    Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • My annual ritual of waiting for delicata squash’s arrival is a reminder to embrace the rhythms of nature and the fleeting beauty of certain culinary moments.
    Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
  • After that, every human interaction felt precious and potentially fleeting.
    Joe Garcia, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Up ⬆ One Battle After Another The Oscars are very much not determined by statistics; there are graveyards full of Oscar hopefuls that looked like winners on paper but ultimately didn’t connect with voters for some ephemeral reason or another.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Emphasizing the project’s conceptual basis, one particularly ephemeral edition, The Biggest Nemyrivskiy Art Center, 2013, was a roughly nineteen-thousand-square-foot rectangle outlined on a snowy field by a plow, disappearing as soon as the snow began to melt.
    Joanna Warsza, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • From their perspective, a star is just a transitory stage, a chrysalis.
    Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 24 Sep. 2025
  • All empires are transitory, right?
    Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Evanescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evanescent. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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