SHORT LIVED Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

short-lived

adjective

ˈshȯrt-ˈlivd

Definition of short-lived

as in brief

lasting only for a short time the skier's triumph turned out to be short-lived, as the next competitor bested her time

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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 short-lived The Georgia native has continued to work steadily, appearing in a variety of television guest roles, a series-regular turn on the short-lived The Rev, and the first two seasons of Mann & Wife. — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026 Routine stomach bugs are typically short-lived, resolving within 24 to 48 hours, the doctor said. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026 General Considerations Some herbs are easy and prolific while others are fussy, short-lived, or require special growing conditions. — Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2026 The reunion is short-lived, however, as the custody trial is to take place the very next day. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for short-lived

Recent Examples of Synonyms for short-lived

Adjective

Project Glasswing gave a perception that defenders would have a brief window to strengthen their defenses before the offensive capabilities of Mythos or equivalent models were available to the public.

— Tim Keary, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Supporters only caught a brief glimpse of the SUV that met Messi on the tarmac to transport him and his family to the private neighborhood of Funes, roughly 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of Buenos Aires.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026

Definition of brief

Adjective

Some make a distinction between temporary discomfort – such as anxiety or difficult emotions during meditation – and lasting harm, such as worsening mental health symptoms.

— Ronald S. Green, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
He’s been dealt the difficult hand of overseeing a roster overhaul and the team’s temporary relocation to West Sacramento expected to run through next season, with his pitching staff struggling to be effective in the band-box of Sutter Health Park.

— Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of temporary

Adjective

Slow-moving storms may pose flash-flood risks across large portions of North, West, Central, South and East Texas beginning on Sunday, June 12, with the main threats expected early to mid-week.

— Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 14 July 2026
Don’t miss Alcopop’s Black Mango Watermelon, Seongju Chamoe and Watermelon Ice Pop; Matcha Latte, with flash-frozen local herbs and a hand-cut ice diamond; and Journey, a concoction that maps a tomato’s global odyssey.

— Melinda Sheckells, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

Definition of flash

Adjective

Mendieta is best known for work that interweaves sadness with violence, drawing on her experiences of exile and her feminist politics to negotiate the transient fragility of life.

— Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026
His vision of transient living, where violence, desolation and sexuality were expressed through an aching slide guitar, offered a counterpoint to the gospel heard throughout southern Baptist churches.

— Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026

Definition of transient

Adjective

The government has aggressively pursued cases against protesters and others who have had even fleeting and unintentional physical contact with agents.

— Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 19 July 2026
But the walkout took place at a strange, fleeting moment when corporations like Google wanted to align themselves with the #resistance.

— Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026

Definition of fleeting

Adjective

Like a poem, a picture is another way of remembering, of trying to capture the ephemeral, recover a fleeting moment.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Others express concern about shifting attention of the schools too sharply to the ephemeral needs of the labor market.

— Tim Knowles, Fortune, 8 July 2026

Definition of ephemeral

Browse Nearby Words

shortish

short-lived

shortly

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“Short-lived.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short-lived. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of short-lived

adjective

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