WordValetransient
lasting only a short time
In more detail
1. (adjective) lasting for a short time; not permanent
2. (noun) a person who stays in a place for only a short time
Examples
- 1. The pain was transient and disappeared within a few hours.
- 2. The hotel often houses transients who only stay for a night or two.
How to use transient
As an adjective, transient describes something that exists or occurs for a limited duration, often implying it is expected or inevitable that it will pass. It is more formal than temporary and frequently used in academic, technical, and professional contexts. As a noun, it refers to a person (often homeless or itinerant) staying briefly in one location, and carries a somewhat more neutral or sociological tone than vagrant.
Common phrases
- transient population
- transient workers
- transient phase
- transient nature
- transient effects
- transient accommodation
Synonyms
temporary · fleeting · ephemeral · brief · short-lived
Opposites
permanent · lasting · enduring
Word family
transiently (adverb) · transience (noun) · transiency (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse transient with transitive; transient refers to duration, while transitive is a grammatical term describing certain verbs.
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