momentary

[moh-muhn-ter-ee] / ˈmoʊ mənˌtɛr i /

ADJECTIVE

brief, fleeting

Synonyms

STRONGEST

short-lived temporary transitory

WEAK

cursory dreamlike ephemeral evanescent flashing flitting flying fugacious fugitive gone in flash hasty impermanent impulsive in wink of an eye instantaneous like lightning passing quick shifting short spasmodic summary transient vanishing volatile

Antonyms

STRONGEST

lasting lengthy long-lived permanent

WEAK

long-lasting staying

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Other cyber stocks saw a momentary lift the week, but that optimism didn’t last long.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Leicester got off to an awful start and, despite momentary glimmers of hope, relegation was out of their hands come the final day.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

Observing that momentary disappearance allows scientists to calculate the asteroid's position, speed, and shape with remarkable precision.

From Science Daily • Mar. 9, 2026

Held once every four years, often in finicky environments, pressurized with all that hype, they’re less a measure of consistency than they are of momentary mettle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

But the effect was only due to a momentary lifting of the fog, and after a minute it closed in again.

From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman

Vocabulary lists containing momentary

Chronically Dolores

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Brief

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-ary

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