1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

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
The legislature knew a Medicaid reckoning was coming and created an interim committee to rein in expenditures. — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 Providence was playing its first game with Adam Nissen, the team’s offensive coordinator, as interim head coach. — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
Meanwhile, the Heated Rivalry craze treks on during the interim between seasons. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026 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 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
  • There are a handful of college football players from the class of 2022 currently playing due to temporary restraining orders granted by judges, but hundreds of basketball players are fighting for their eligibility.
    — CJ Moore, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Eight years until the Salt Lake Olympics could provide Amtrak a runway to reestablishing temporary service, but even that timeline could be tight, Clegg said.
    — Rose Evans September 15, Idaho Statesman, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of temporary
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Microsoft posted a provisional code of conduct that would place restrictions on its future AI models.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The visit sought to assess Brazil’s compliance with provisional measures recommended by the court in 2022 to protect Indigenous communities’ rights.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of provisional
Noun
  • As much as there’s little room for nuance in the interval of frenzied overreaction that is Week 1 of the NFL season, two seemingly contradictory statements can be true at the exact same time.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The reactor would also need a fuel replacement interval of at least five years.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of interval
Adjective
  • Thankfully, there are plenty of transitional pieces that ease you into the new season without overheating, and a lightweight long-sleeve top is one of them.
    — Kate Boswell, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The terry cloth also hits that sweet spot between lightweight and substantial, which is especially ideal for transitional weather.
    — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of transitional
Adjective
  • Hailing from London as the son of hardscrabble fruit sellers, Winstone was often asked to channel his rough-and-tumble upbringing and pre-acting career as a boxer into mobster and villain roles.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Aug. 2026
  • At the time, acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez attributed the changes to technical issues.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of acting
Noun
  • Celebrities including Lupita Nyong’o, Sharon Stone, John Boyega and Michelle Williams attended at the WSA Building in downtown Manhattan for this season’s show, which continued despite the interruption.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Mercury opposes hazy Neptune, making expectations unclear and interruptions harder to manage.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
Definition of interruption
Noun
  • After a 45-year hiatus, Formula 1 racing is returning to Madrid this weekend with the Spanish Grand Prix.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Baker is taking a hiatus from competing after her mother decided to ‘retire’ from the grooming side of the equation.
    — Tilly Berendt, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of hiatus
Noun
  • The exact circumstances in each nation differ, but vaccination gaps are a common thread, leading some experts to question if more catastrophic measles outbreaks are around the corner.
    — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2026
  • For his part, Johnson has cast undetailed settlement costs as an unavoidable key driver of the city’s looming $882 million budget gap.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 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 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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 nemesis

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
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
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All