as in flash
lasting only for a short time
had a fleeting desire to jump into the cool lake but kept on hiking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shortness
the state or quality of lasting only for a short time
nothing makes the fleetingness of summer more apparent than the arrival of Labor Day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 fleeting
Suzanne McGee, USA Today, 22 June 2025
Jack Betts, the debonair character actor who starred in spaghetti Westerns, played Dracula for a fleeting moment on Broadway and appeared in such notable films as Spider-Man and Gods and Monsters, has died.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Other main themes that guests can find in Guidi’s work are the relationship between space and light, between the solidity of architecture and the fleeting nature of the instant, between urban space and individual perception, between material traces and memory.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 20 June 2025
To choose security over a passion that may be fleeting?
Much of the humor in the film flows from Lucy’s cynicism about life and love.
—Scott Phillips, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fleeting
Adjective
Still, any pullback in equities might be fleeting, history suggests.
—Suzanne McGee, USA Today, 22 June 2025
Jack Betts, the debonair character actor who starred in spaghetti Westerns, played Dracula for a fleeting moment on Broadway and appeared in such notable films as Spider-Man and Gods and Monsters, has died.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Other main themes that guests can find in Guidi’s work are the relationship between space and light, between the solidity of architecture and the fleeting nature of the instant, between urban space and individual perception, between material traces and memory.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 20 June 2025
To choose security over a passion that may be fleeting?
Much of the humor in the film flows from Lucy’s cynicism about life and love.
—Scott Phillips, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fleeting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fleeting
Adjective
-
Don’t let the lack of flash fool you — this guy is the real deal.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2025
-
The German figures come a day before the scheduled release of flash inflation data for the euro area, which will be closely watched by investors for guidance on the odds of another interest rate cut from the European Central Bank.—
Sophie Kiderlin,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2024
Adjective
-
Will Reeve, son of the late Christopher Reeve, one of the more famous Hollywood Men of Steel, makes a brief appearance in Superman.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
11 July 2025
-
More often, the dimly lit highway hubs serve as nothing more than brief, refueling pit stops on a grander journey to cleaner, more scenic destinations.—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Initially, Levitt’s ostomy was temporary, meaning her rectum was left intact for a possible future reconnection.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
13 July 2025
-
The National Weather Service has placed the temporary immigration detention center and Big Cypress National Preserve under a special weather statement until 5:30 p.m., meaning strong wind gusts and possible flooding are imminent.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
While these two exhibits may feel distinct, for Suh, all of his work interrogates the boundaries between personal and public space, and the conditions that force transience or enable permanence.—
Megan Williams,
CNN Money,
1 May 2025
-
Fallen blossoms whisper on the damp earth, a fleeting poem of transience.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
And while Riemens had a transient lifestyle and was planning a trip to visit family in Michigan just before his disappearance, finding his truck at a nearby store quickly cast suspicion.—
Andy Humbles,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
-
Spring Hill has the lowest transient guest rate in Johnson County at 4%.—
Taylor O’Connor,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
Inspired by Bengali wedding tents and incorporating four sculptural capsules, this pavilion looks at themes of impermanence, light, and connection.—
Felicity Carter,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
Yet, Fujimoto also notes that impermanence has always been a feature of Japanese architecture.—
Hanako Montgomery,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
With each passing year, the evidence mounts that 2005 was more good fortune than anything else.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
Today, the success of the CUDA model has led to the creation of a thriving ecosystem that creates network effects that strengthen with each passing year.—
Steven Wolfe Pereira,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Poignant visual metaphors for mortality and the transitory power of the cinematic image abound.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
13 June 2025
-
There’s a transitory nature in a lot of communities, so maybe people don’t feel as invested in them.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fleeting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fleeting. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share