TEMPORARY Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

temporary 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē

Definition of temporary

as in interim

intended to last, continue, or serve for a limited time summer workers looking for temporary accommodations in private homes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in flash

lasting only for a short time a temporary lapse of memory

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in provisional

serving in a position for the time being the temporary head of the sales division

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

temporary

2 of 2

noun

as in temp

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 temporary

Adjective

Has Wall Street deal-making reached a peak, or a temporary plateau? — Hugh Son,laya Neelakandan,leslie Picker,ritika Shah, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 Or maybe shops aren't yet sure whether the drop in demand is temporary or here to stay. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026

Noun

Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, large areas of farmland were treated similarly, and contaminated topsoil was removed and stored in temporary as well as long-term facilities. — Eduardo B. Farfán, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026 California voters will have to approve the temporary in a special election in November. — Terry Collins, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for temporary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for temporary

Adjective

The Union have climbed from last place in the Eastern Conference at the World Cup break to sixth under interim coach Ryan Richter, who took over after Bradley Carnell was let go.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Napoli replaces Guillermo Olmedillo, who had served as interim village manager and is staying on as a land use, zoning and infrastructure consultant.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of interim

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

If the names cannot be matched under the applicable rules, further verification or a provisional ballot may be necessary.

— S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Police said in an initial statement on Saturday that an 18-year-old man, whose vehicle had a p-plate (indicating the driver holds a provisional or probationary license) attached, was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

— Colin Millar, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of provisional

Noun

Given the temp range and low dew point, the poster skewed the results to make a small strip of the west coast look ideal.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Brener was first hired by New Line production boss Michael De Luca in 1995, starting as a temp and rising through the New Line corporate ladder to story editor then SVP.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of temp

Adjective

But while those will provide short-term relief, the currency is expected to weaken toward the end of the year and mid-2027, and a 100 rupee-per-dollar mark could not be ruled out, strategists said.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
The Next Generation For many panelists, AI’s short-term savings come at the expense of the next generation of composers.

— Ben Croll, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of short-term

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

Noun

Sara Matar, formerly the division’s chief of staff, joined the White House counsel’s office in August as an associate.

— Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Clients and friends of Moncler, students from Parsons School of Design, and members of Leibovitz’s circle of friends and associates, will be attending.

— David Moin, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of associate

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

Browse Nearby Words

temporariness

temporary

temporize

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Temporary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temporary. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of temporary

adjective

noun

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