transitory

adjective

tran·​si·​to·​ry ˈtran(t)-sə-ˌtȯr-ē  ˈtran-zə- 

1

: of brief duration : temporary

the transitory nature of earthly joy

2

: tending to pass away : not persistent

transitorily

ˌtran(t)-sə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē 

ˌtran-zə-

adverb

transitoriness

ˈtran(t)-sə-ˌtȯr-ē-nəs 

ˈtran-zə-

noun

Synonyms

• brief
• deciduous
• ephemeral
• evanescent
• flash
• fleeting
• fugacious
• fugitive
• impermanent
• momentary
• passing
• short-lived
• temporary
• transient

Choose the Right Synonym for transitory

transient, transitory, ephemeral, momentary, fugitive, fleeting, evanescent 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

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

ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

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

fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult.

let a fugitive smile flit across his face

fleeting moments of joy

evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality.

the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation

Examples of transitory in a Sentence

the transitory nature of earthly pleasures

Recent Examples on the Web

Lately, the concern that Trump’s tariffs could be inflationary has added another wrinkle, though Fed Chair Powell said this past Wednesday that their impact could be transitory. —Kevin Stankiewicz,matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2025

Previously, the area that would become the Wyoming Territory had been a transitory place that covered wagons passed through on their way west. —Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025

As was the case with Boseman’s untimely death from cancer, the wildfire storm that has changed Los Angeles forever is a reminder of the transitory nature of life. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 13 Jan. 2025

Related Articles Now, Detroit, which has gone from one of the league’s most disappointing teams to its one of its hottest after hiring a name-brand coach in Todd McLellan, cleared some salary cap space ahead of the trade deadline, while the Ducks plugged a transitory hole in their goalie pipeline. —Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English transitorie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin transitorius, from Latin, of or allowing passage, from transire

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for transitory

• allegory
• amatory
• auditory
• category
• clerestory
• crematory
• desultory
• dilatory
• dormitory
• excretory
• extempore
• feudatory

Kids Definition

transitory

adjective

tran·​si·​to·​ry ˈtran(t)s-ə-ˌtōr-ē  ˈtranz- 

-ˌtȯr-

: lasting only a short time : short-lived, temporary

transitorily

ˌtran(t)s-ə-ˈtōr-ə-lē 

ˌtranz-

-ˈtȯr-

adverb