fleeting

adjective

fleet·​ing ˈflē-tiŋ How to pronounce fleeting (audio)
: passing swiftly : transitory
… the often fleeting nature of fame and fortune …Tom Sinclair
fleetingly adverb
fleetingness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for fleeting

transient, transitory, ephemeral, momentary, fugitive, fleeting, evanescent mean lasting or staying only a short time.

transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay.

a hotel catering primarily to transient guests

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 implies striking brevity of life or duration.

many slang words are ephemeral

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

fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult.

let a fugitive smile flit across his face
fleeting moments of joy

evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality.

the story has an evanescent touch of whimsy that is lost in translation

Examples of fleeting in a Sentence

I caught a fleeting glimpse of the comet. had a fleeting desire to jump into the cool lake but kept on hiking
Recent Examples on the Web And his juxtaposition of hood aesthetics with delicate music has been done before, like by fleeting singer RMR in 2020. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Following the king’s diagnosis, Harry made a fleeting 26-hour trip to Britain solo to see his father, but reportedly did not meet with William. Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Lightning might break out in coastal cities Wednesday night when a cold, fleeting storm from the Pacific darts across San Diego County, the National Weather Service said. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2024 Explore our new section Ramirez was entranced by this fleeting glimpse of adaptation by tropical species in one of the world’s greatest asphalt jungles. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Claire Bula, a lecturer in graphic design at Boston University, questioned why fans of the team would care about its fleeting ties to San Diego, a city from which the Clippers absconded about 40 years ago. Scott Cacciola, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Sakharov had died of natural causes, a free man in a fleeting era of hope. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2024 This system of justice still stands and will prevail over any fleeting political knock. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2024 This convergence is not a fleeting trend but a pivotal juncture that will shape the technological landscape for years. Max (chong) Li, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fleeting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fleeting was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near fleeting

Cite this Entry

“Fleeting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fleeting. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fleeting

adjective
fleet·​ing
ˈflēt-iŋ
: not lasting : passing swiftly
a fleeting glimpse

More from Merriam-Webster on fleeting

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