EPHEMERAL Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'ephemeral' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ephemeral are evanescent , fleeting , fugitive , momentary , transient , and transitory . While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration. // many slang words are ephemeral

Q: When would 'evanescent' be a good substitute for 'ephemeral'?

The words evanescent and ephemeral are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality. // the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation

Q: How are the words 'fugitive' and 'fleeting' related as synonyms of 'ephemeral'?

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

Q: When could 'momentary' be used to replace 'ephemeral'?

The words momentary and ephemeral can be used in similar contexts, but 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

Q: In what contexts can 'transient' take the place of 'ephemeral'?

The synonyms transient and ephemeral are sometimes interchangeable, but transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay. // a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

Q: When can 'transitory' be used instead of 'ephemeral'?

In some situations, the words transitory and ephemeral are roughly equivalent. However, 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

adjective

i-ˈfe-mə-rəl

Definition of ephemeral

as in flash

lasting only for a short time the autumnal blaze of colors is always to be treasured, all the more so because it is so ephemeral

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Some common synonyms of ephemeral are evanescent, fleeting, fugitive, momentary, transient, and transitory. While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

When would evanescent be a good substitute for ephemeral?

The words evanescent and ephemeral are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 ephemeral?

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

When could momentary be used to replace ephemeral?

The words momentary and ephemeral can be used in similar contexts, but 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

In what contexts can transient take the place of ephemeral?

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

a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

When can transitory be used instead of ephemeral?

In some situations, the words transitory and ephemeral are roughly equivalent. However, 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 ephemeral The Leipzig scenes are both ephemeral and integral; later, Taro will speculate that if the Germans had had the same revolutionary zeal as the Spanish, Hitler might have been defeated. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026 The prospect of a book, uneditable once on shelves, presented an overwhelming feeling of finality compared to the ever-evolving, ephemeral language of fashion design. — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026 Applications became distributed across multiple environments, infrastructure became ephemeral and developers could provision resources at unprecedented speed. — Michael Nicosia, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 The works are considered an exclamatory response to the institutional question of how to collect and display dance, a typically ephemeral form. — News Desk, Artforum, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ephemeral

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ephemeral

Adjective

San Antonio, Texas, was under a flash-flood warning through Thursday evening, and the city urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

— Fabiola Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
On Monday, the flash-flood threat is lower, but locally heavy downpours are possible for parts of the Mid-Atlantic later in the day.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of flash

Adjective

Reyes said the 24-hour temporary order could be extended to 14 days if necessary.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Reyes had issued a one-day temporary restraining order early Monday morning ahead of the hearing, so her order on Tuesday extends that ban for two weeks.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of temporary

Adjective

This episode notably lacked any nod to Trump, though mentions of the president as a whole have been brief compared to the previous season, when the president was the show’s focal point for absurd antics.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
The questions came after Zacharia made a brief debut to the media on Tuesday, taking just three questions from reporters after reading off a script.

— Michael Birnbaum The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of brief

Adjective

Back in February, Wyandotte County commissioners decided that the local government would direct a portion of its future sales, use and transient guest tax revenues to pay for the Chiefs development.

— Sofi Zeman October 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Davis, West Sacramento and unincorporated Sacramento County already charge a 12% transient occupancy tax, and Measure X would bring Yolo County’s rate in line with those jurisdictions.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of transient

Adjective

Creative endeavor, in the space of a few hours, flashes its many faces, arduous and sexy, fleeting and fun.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Rather than chasing every fleeting trend, the brand focuses on trusty staples that can work across seasons and last for years to come, making its pieces well worth the investment.

— Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of fleeting

Adjective

Running back Ousmane Kromah has 565 rushing yards and five touchdowns, while receivers Jayvan Boggs, Duce Robinson and Michai Danzy can all make plays in the passing game.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Bo Nix continues to struggle to get the passing game going and Seattle’s defense remains among the league’s best across most major statistical categories, making this a tough matchup on a short week.

— Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of passing

Adjective

The motivation to hit the road, present the music and see the faces of the fans is addictive, but after days of long bus rides and transitory environs, there’s a buzz that comes from getting back to the family.

— Tom Roland, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026
Still, there are hints of purpose in such transitory alignments, a sense of intuitive forces at work.

— Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of transitory

Adjective

Still, this is evanescent stuff, hardly weighty enough to get mad about with respect to the aforementioned problematic areas.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
The benefits of being a statesman, analysts say, can be evanescent if domestic woes keep piling up.

— Mark Landler, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2025

Definition of evanescent

Browse Nearby Words

ephemera

ephemeral

ephemerality

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“Ephemeral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ephemeral. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ephemeral

adjective

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Example Sentences

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Challenging Standardized Test Words

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Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on ephemeral

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

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Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

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Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

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Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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Games & Quizzes