momentary

adjective

ˈmō-mən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce momentary (audio)
Definition of momentarynext
as in flash
lasting only for a short time the pain of the flu shot was only momentary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of momentary are ephemeral, evanescent, fleeting, fugitive, transient, and transitory. While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," 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 ephemeral be a better fit than momentary?

Although the words ephemeral and momentary have much in common, ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

When would evanescent be a good substitute for momentary?

In some situations, the words evanescent and momentary 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 are the words fugitive and fleeting related as synonyms of momentary?

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

Where would transient be a reasonable alternative to momentary?

The synonyms transient and momentary are sometimes interchangeable, but transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay.

a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

When is transitory a more appropriate choice than momentary?

The words transitory and momentary 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

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 momentary Because all of the major waves of selling in the wake of some incident of uncertainty were caused by momentary risk that did not ultimately threaten stocks, or the banking system — or, ultimately, the economy. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 23 June 2025 The two benches and dugouts cleared as the two men made momentary physical contact, sparking a brown and blue mosh pit of sorts behind home plate to cap a series that left both sides more black and blue and chapped than anything else. —Dennis Lin, New York Times, 20 June 2025 This is more than a momentary victory: under Israeli law, the bill’s failure means that no other proposal to dissolve the Knesset (parliament) can be introduced for six months, buying Netanyahu and his coalition some time. —Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025 Bankrolling cybersecurity may soothe momentary leadership angst, but often does little to address rising insider threats and basic internal control failures. —Noah Barsky, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for momentary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for momentary
  1. flash
  2. brief
  3. temporary
  4. transient
  5. passing
  6. fleeting
Adjective
  • Don’t let the lack of flash fool you — this guy is the real deal.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The German figures come a day before the scheduled release of flash inflation data for the euro area, which will be closely watched by investors for guidance on the odds of another interest rate cut from the European Central Bank.
    — Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of flash
Adjective
  • Individual games through an 18-week season are so variable that sports books generally don’t offer odds for every single game in a season for more than just a brief moment to create headlines.
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 23 July 2025
  • The scene grew chaotic after immigration agents tried to arrest Baraka for trespassing, and McIver's elbows appeared to make brief contact with an immigration officer.
    — Sarah N. Lynch, USA Today, 23 July 2025
Definition of brief
Adjective
  • The court's ruling extending its temporary restraining order is disappointing.
    — Dana Afana, Freep.com, 26 July 2025
  • The request, which was made in July, is a temporary stopgap while the company awaits federal clearance to dredge a permanent channel to the Wallops Island site.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
Definition of temporary
Adjective
  • Its science objectives include understanding the structure and evolution of the universe, mapping the Milky Way and observing transient astronomical events, but it is also set to revolutionize the detection of interstellar objects (ISOs).
    — Andrew Jones, Space.com, 18 July 2025
  • In addition, a report published in 2016 notes that 94% of Latinos under 18 are U.S.-born, and the majority speak fluent English, underscoring that Latinos are not a transient or external group; they are deeply embedded in the American economy, workforce and future.
    — Ana Valdez, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Definition of transient
Adjective
  • Jake Davis and Manu Garcia combined for a passing sequence that ended with Thommy in a pocket of space on the left wing.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2025
  • Earlier this week, the people at PFF put out a stat of the quarterbacks with the most passing and rushing touchdowns since 2022.
    — Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Definition of passing
Adjective
  • And these public standoffs between Jones and his most important players usually end up being pointlessly fleeting.
    — Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 26 July 2025
  • What might have been a fleeting, lighthearted moment turned viral when viewers realized the pair were executives at the same tech company and neither had intended for their embrace to become a public spectacle.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Definition of fleeting

Browse Nearby Words

momentariness
momentary
moment of truth
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Momentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/momentary. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on momentary

Nglish: Translation of momentary for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All