interim 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of interimnext
1
as in temporary
intended to last, continue, or serve for a limited time putting up some students in local motels is obviously just an interim solution to the college's housing shortage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in provisional
serving in a position for the time being will serve as interim head of the police department until the investigation is completed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

interim

2 of 2

noun

ˈin-tə-rəm How to pronounce interim (audio)
as in interval
a break in continuity there was a brief interim in the proceedings while everyone got organized

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 interim
Adjective
When he's appointed interim sheriff of a tiny Minnesota town, Ulysses Richardson intervenes in a botched bank robbery, discovering a stash of gold and heavy weapons that belong to a Yakuza crime syndicate. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026 Shane Strum, the health system’s interim CEO, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel late Wednesday that Stella’s employment was severed after more than eight years with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital as part of a reorganization. — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
The appeals court has yet to consider the broader arguments, and its decision on Wednesday was only on whether to grant the stay in the interim. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 8 July 2026 Associate head coach Tim Brewster took over as the interim and won both remaining games to finish 5-7. — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for interim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interim
  1. temporary
  2. provisional
  3. interval
  4. transitional
  5. acting
  6. interruption
  7. hiatus
  8. gap
Adjective
  • Aston Villa loanee Evann Guessand gets the temporary nod on the left over Yeremy Pino, who returned late after World Cup duty with Spain.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The phrase describes a common, temporary condition that research shows affects about 80% of people who give birth.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of temporary
Adjective
  • Iranian officials continue to insist that a provisional agreement to manage shipping through the strait has nothing to do with the US, and is intsead a bilateral arrangement with Oman.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • However, for its loan to The British Museum, the UK Treasury officially underwrote the artifact with a provisional valuation of £800 million (approximately $1 billion USD).
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of provisional
Noun
  • Ebadot dismissed Alex Carey (19) after lunch and Taskin bowled Webster (12) before Cummins (9) and Starc (1) both nicked off to Hasan before the tea interval.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Your workplace strategy should evolve as your business evolves, and leaders can live up to the value of intention by evaluating time-in-office based on business needs at an interval that makes sense for your business.
    — Kane Willmott, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of interval
Adjective
  • Russia’s succession process will flow through the country’s formally democratic constitutional architecture, which requires a transitional election within three months of the president leaving office.
    — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Now’s the time to get ahead of the seasonal shift with transitional bedding, and Quince has a lineup of layerable quilt sets that make revamping my linens easy.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of transitional
Adjective
  • At the time, acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez attributed the changes to technical issues.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • PinkPantheress has locked in her first-ever acting role in a movie.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026
Definition of acting
Noun
  • In a news release shared Tuesday, Verizon said that service interruptions affected people across Los Angeles County and other parts of the region after vandals cut multiple fiber cables.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But Wills’ career has had numerous injury interruptions, most recently a leg injury in 2024 that required osteotomy surgery and kept him out of the 2025 season as well.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of interruption
Noun
  • The Houthi attacks could reignite Yemen's civil war after a four-year hiatus following a 2022 truce, and open a new front in the Middle East war.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The return of the enforcers The 49ers brought back receiver Deebo Samuel after his one-year hiatus with the Washington Commanders.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiatus
Noun
  • The gaps are especially consequential in Nizi, one of the most affected health zones in Ituri province, which accounts for about 90% of Congo’s Ebola cases and 80% of its deaths.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Fernandes has never been finished, but there’s a size gap here and Turner is dangerous offensively.
    — Brett Appley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of gap

Phrases Containing interim

Browse Nearby Words

intergalactic
interim
interims
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interim. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on interim

Nglish: Translation of interim for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All