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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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 Some traders also claim Bitcoin’s recent good news could be short-lived, given the four-year cycle theory, which holds that Bitcoin’s bear market lows and bull market tops tend to occur in four year increments. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026 The Japanese yen surged this week against the dollar, but one investor is already cautioning that the currency's newfound strength may be short-lived. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 Reputation systems also struggle when an artifact is new, short-lived or slightly different from anything seen before. — Ken Ammon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 This system will be short-lived since it’s expected to slide inland near the Texas-Louisiana border by Monday night or Tuesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. — Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for short-lived

Recent Examples of Synonyms for short-lived

Adjective

The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges, and Choudri returned to the railway agency after a brief leave of absence.

— Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Parton, known as the Queen of Country music, died after a brief battle with cancer.

— Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of brief

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

Saturday's flash-flood event occurred after four rounds of rain swept across parts of the Grand Canyon over a span of about six hours, according to the National Weather Service.

— Trevor Ault, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Missing hiker tip line The National Park Service is asking the public to provide information about 15 missing people after a significant flash-flood event in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of flash

Adjective

There is virtually no downside to the injection apart from the transient pain of the needle, and the upside is tremendous.

— Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Summary The 2018 Sears bankruptcy underscored retail's transient nature, a lesson Jeff Bezos and former Walmart CEO Doug McMillon also emphasize.

— Jason Goldberg, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of transient

Adjective

Even if Goedert is healthy, a complementary tight end who can help in the passing game would be a sensible upgrade.

— Zach Berman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
If Taron Johnson and the secondary hold up against complex passing schemes, the unit should take a noticeable leap in efficiency.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of passing

Adjective

Cook’s fleeting third down usage Without Ty Johnson available due to a hamstring injury, the Bills smartly wanted to see if their top rusher, James Cook, could stay on the field for third downs.

— Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
For a fleeting moment, the Arab Spring seemed to offer an escape from the bleak logic that had dominated the previous decade.

— Ayman M. Mohyeldin, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of fleeting

Adjective

The Leipzig scenes are both ephemeral and integral; later, Taro will speculate that if the Germans had had the same revolutionary zeal as the Spanish, Hitler might have been defeated.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
Viral memes and videos are often good for only ephemeral dopamine hits, but leave the elixir to the humor and talent of the Gregory Brothers, a longtime musical quartet.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 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 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of short-lived

adjective

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