Synonyms of transient

transient 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtran(t)-sh(ē-)ənt 

as in temporary

lasting only for a short time

had transient thoughts of quitting her job and going back to school

Synonyms & Similar Words

• temporary
• flash
• brief
• passing
• transitory
• ephemeral
• fleeting
• momentary
• evanescent
• short
• deciduous
• short-lived
• little
• fugitive
• impermanent
• fugacious
• short-term
• acting
• interim
• provisional
• shortish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• permanent
• eternal
• lasting
• enduring
• perpetual
• everlasting
• endless
• immortal
• unending
• timeless
• deathless
• lifelong
• ceaseless
• undying
• persistent
• long-lived
• durable
• dateless
• continuing
• indestructible
• imperishable
• indefectible

transient

2 of 2

noun

1

as in drifter

Related Words

• drifter
• vagrant
• vagabond
• hobo
• roamer
• tramp
• beggar
• bum
• derelict
• mendicant
• panhandler
• swaggie
• stiff
• swagman
• bindle stiff
• sundowner
• bummer
• waif
• dodger
• urchin
• shirker
• slacker
• malingerer
• ragamuffin
• gamine

2

as in traveller

Related Words

• traveller
• tourist
• traveler
• visitor
• sightseer
• excursionist
• tripper
• rubbernecker
• hosteller
• rubberneck
• guest
• vacationer
• vacationist
• pilgrim
• holidaymaker
• hosteler
• wayfarer
• snowbird
• journeyer
• holidayer
• sunseeker

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of transient are ephemeral, evanescent, fleeting, fugitive, momentary, and transitory. While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay.

a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

When could ephemeral be used to replace transient?

The synonyms ephemeral and transient are sometimes interchangeable, but ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

Where would evanescent be a reasonable alternative to transient?

In some situations, the words evanescent and transient 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 do fugitive and fleeting relate to one another, in the sense of transient?

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

In what contexts can momentary take the place of transient?

The words momentary and transient are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 transitory be a better fit than transient?

The words transitory and transient 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

Recent Examples of transient

Adjective

The electric guitar enjoys a bit of bite, but the thin transients strike again and tame the hi-hat hits and the acoustic guitar. —PC Magazine, 23 July 2025

Joseph Holland, a 58-year-old transient, was identified July 3, less than 24 hours after a graphic video was released publicly by San Diego County officials and carried on social media and local television news. —Andrew J. Campa follow, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025

Noun

Born in northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea, Kamran’s childhood was somewhat transient due to her father’s work for the department of educations, which kept the family moving every four or five years. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 25 July 2025

It was surrounded on every side by a moat-like parking lot, every parking space neatly marked by diagonal lines, white for transient parking, yellow for monthly parking, green for the building’s maintenance personnel. —Literary Hub, 24 July 2025