temporal

adjective

ˈtem-p(ə-)rəl How to pronounce temporal (audio)
Definition of temporalnext
1
as in mundane
having to do with life on earth especially as opposed to that in heaven do not worry about temporal concerns, but instead focus on spiritual matters

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in secular
not involving religion or religious matters administrators on campus are in place to deal with students' temporal needs, and spiritual advisors are available to help students with their nontemporal needs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 temporal In the first, eight dogs viewed happy and neutral faces, and happy faces triggered a stronger response in a region of the right temporal cortex extending into the caudate nucleus. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026 When the dogs saw pictures of happy people, their temporal cortex and caudate nucleus became active. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 10 Aug. 2026 And those are just the normal lines—not the special-occasion ones that require more serious temporal investment. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 10 Aug. 2026 Its physical, psychological, and temporal dislocations often precede the possibility of narration itself. — Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for temporal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temporal
  1. mundane
  2. secular
  3. terrestrial
  4. physical
  5. earthly
  6. bodily
  7. animal
Adjective
  • Renovations on the institution include updates to aging technical infrastructure, such as climate-control systems and elevators, and fixes to more mundane issues such as roof leaks.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The original pictures are low quality—at once smeary, ominous, and mundane.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of mundane
Adjective
  • Ripert eventually translated these lessons into a secular book for professional chefs and home cooks alike.
    — Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Middle East has already experimented with Arab nationalism, state socialism, secular authoritarianism, monarchy, military rule, and political Islam.
    — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of secular
Adjective
  • That’s why the stocks reacted, because people finally came to terms with the fact that Elon is actually going to build a terrestrial network.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Too aquatic for roads, yet too terrestrial for boats, boglands remain some of the most remote and difficult landscapes to access.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrestrial
Adjective
  • Apple Vision Pro proved particularly useful for judging the scale of sets before physical construction.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Since those moments Birmingham has occupied a central space in the physical and spiritual lineage of America's Civil Rights Movement.
    — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of physical
Adjective
  • And as his earthly life drew to a close, that belief gave him peace.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Fortunately for us mere mortals, goddess braids are very much an earthly delight.
    — Eden Stuart, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of earthly
Adjective
  • Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, of Queens, was charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and serious bodily injury.
    — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The parents admit to some corporal punishment, but of a mild sort—the kind that might startle a child but which wouldn’t do bodily harm.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of bodily
Adjective
  • Vegetable Oils Vegetable and seed oils are some of the richest non-animal dietary sources of CoQ10.
    — Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 16 July 2026
  • Computer models and other non-animal testing methods still aren’t the best available science, critics contend.
    — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of animal

Browse Nearby Words

tempo
temporal
temporaries
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Cite this Entry

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

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