transience

noun

ˈtran(t)-sh(ē-)ən(t)s How to pronounce transience (audio)
Definition of transiencenext
as in shortness
the state or quality of lasting only for a short time the transience of spring in northern climates means residents get to enjoy temperate weather only briefly before the heat and humidity of summer set in

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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 transience Their eyes evoke deep contemplation of the transience of life. — Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 11 June 2026 An objective, multi faceted gaze into past tragedies and today’s transiences. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026 This transience helps The Darling stay fresh, allowing guests to engage with works at the cutting-edge of the Danish art scene. — Stephanie Gavan, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026 The bond between [the lead characters] is a prism through which to experience both the transience and the permanence of what matters most to us in life. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for transience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transience
  1. shortness
  2. impermanence
  3. transiency
  4. ephemerality
  5. evanescence
Noun
  • Pegula, Anisimova and Gauff should be pleased with their early-round draws, which are more important on SW19’s grass than at any other Grand Slam, because of the shortness of the season and the lack of time to build rhythm.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • How much of his life, his desperate desire for success, greatness, had been prompted by his shortness?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of shortness
Noun
  • His practice brings together photography, moving image, archival materials, and found objects, often exploring ideas around impermanence, insecurity, and memory.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Her narrative weaves together two genres she has long been known for, crime fiction and science fiction, and continues Mandel's explorations of chaos, identity, impermanence and transcendence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of impermanence
Noun
  • Locke also had a high transiency rate before Green Dot was in charge.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
  • That is everybody in college basketball in an era of transaction and transiency that has been compared to unlimited free agency without a salary cap.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026
Definition of transiency
Noun
  • Despite a few offseason departures and the NFL’s ephemerality, Seattle takes the field as a viable back-to-back champ.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Her work often integrates the modes of perception, underscoring the ephemerality of experience in the hosting venues of her exhibitions.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 31 July 2026
Definition of ephemerality
Noun
  • The transformations that have decimated protest movements—undone by digitization, atomization, and the evanescence of online life—have also affected shame and its ability to mediate social norms without the intervention of the state.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The evanescence of air leads us to imagine that there is something like empty space.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of evanescence

Browse Nearby Words

transgressors
transience
transiency
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Transience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transience. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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