momentary

adjective

mo·​men·​tary ˈmō-mən-ˌter-ē 

1

a

: continuing only a moment : fleeting

b

: having a very brief life

2

: operative or recurring at every moment

momentariness noun

Synonyms

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

Choose the Right Synonym for momentary

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 momentary in a Sentence

He experienced a momentary loss of consciousness.

the pain of the flu shot was only momentary

Recent Examples on the Web

And perhaps that’s what makes this message from Dr. Daniel Crosby so compelling— these three words matter so much within the context of our personal and financial growth because these aren’t just three nice ideas that give us a momentary sense of pleasure. —Tim Maurer, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

Such a detail, says Clavio, will hopefully be found in a future edition, but movement on the screen is slow enough to not be physically jarring and to allow for a momentary sense of disbelief. —Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024

Karoline is pregnant, thanks to a momentary pursuit of pleasure, and that predicament has resulted in the loss of her job at a textile factory. —Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024

Lori Kennard was awarded $385,000 for invasion of privacy related to the momentary disclosure of her name in Our Father. —Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

momentary

adjective

mo·​men·​tary ˈmō-mən-ˌter-ē 

: lasting only a moment