Synonym Chooser

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

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

When might ephemeral be a better fit than momentary?

Although the words ephemeral and momentary have much in common, ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

When would evanescent be a good substitute for momentary?

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

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

Where would transient be a reasonable alternative to momentary?

The synonyms transient and momentary 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 momentary?

The words transitory and momentary can be used in similar contexts, but 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 momentary And while the entire nation experiences spectacular sunsets thanks to its varied landscapes and wide ocean views, few spots are as perfect for a momentary pause to watch the sun go down as in Lisbon. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2025 Zero computer intervention is fun, without a doubt, but also a little nerve-racking when small drifts of gravel dot the road and undulations in the asphalt can cause momentary losses in traction. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 Images shared by the USGS and the National Weather Service in Portland showed plumes of ash drifting downwind, fueling momentary panic for anyone watching the skies. Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025 What can any of us make of our momentary intimate lives in such an immense world, with equally immense unknowns, mysteries as great as death or the whale, as deep as love or the ocean, as sad and beautiful as a jellyfish torn and glistening in a small fortress of shore rock? Natalie Diaz september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for momentary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for momentary
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
  • Even brief closures have cost the economy billions of dollars.
    Nik Popli, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The Chinese navy already makes port calls in Myanmar, but these are brief stays in facilities too primitive to provide naval advantage.
    Dan Swift, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Stage two would see Gaza governed by a temporary transitional body consisting of a technocratic, apolitical committee composed of Palestinians and international members.
    Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
  • This temporary relocation ensures that the Nashville Fire Department can continue serving the community while creating the necessary space for the construction of a modern headquarters and fire station.
    Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The finding of methane in gas form could be due to either the presence of a tenuous atmosphere on Makemake, or a more transient activity such as that experienced by comets when its volatiles sublimate, or from cryovolcanic plumes, according to the study authors.
    Andrew Jones, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer.
    Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The raw sewage rises to the surface, adding to the unbearable stink, which spreads and worsens with every passing day.
    Eli Sharabi, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Going into the game against the Gators, Manning has 888 passing yards and nine touchdown passes.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Feelings are fleeting, but their level cannot be.
    Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Yet there is nothing decisive about the fleeting moment captured here.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Momentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/momentary. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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