Synonyms of temporary
28 similar words · 3 opposite words
Another word for temporary is passing. Other synonyms of temporary are earthly, fleeting, ephemeral, transitory and instant. The opposite of temporary is eternal.
Synonyms and similar words for temporary
adjectiveNot permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time.
- temporal
- impermanentNot permanent; unperpetual.
adjectiveExisting only for a short time or short times.
- transient
- ephemeralLasting for a short period of time.
- earthlyRelating to the earth or this world, as opposed to heaven or the heavens.
- brief
- deciduous
- evanescentEphemeral, fleeting, momentary.
- fleetingPassing quickly; of short duration.
- flying
- fugaciousFleeting, fading quickly, transient.
- fugitive
- instantLasting for a short moment; momentary; short-lived.
- momentary
- passingThat passes away; ephemeral.
- perishableLiable to perish, especially naturally subject to quick decomposition or decay.
- quick
- short
- short-lived
- transitive
- transitoryLasting only a short time; temporary.
- volatileTemporary or ephemeral.
- worldly
- seasonable obsolete
- whilend obsoletePassing; temporal; temporary; not lasting; not permanent; transient; transitory; not eternal.
nounOne serving for a limited time; a short-term employee, especially in an office.
adjectiveMore synonyms
- temporaneousTemporary.
Opposite of temporary
adjectiveNot permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time.
- eternalLasting forever; unending.
- unendingNot ending; having no end; eternal.
- neverending
Meaning of temporary
- adjective Not permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time.
- adjective Existing only for a short time or short times.
- noun One serving for a limited time; a short-term employee, especially in an office.
temporary in other languages
Questions about synonyms of temporary
- What is another word for temporary?
- Temporary has 28 synonyms on Word.ws, such as passing, earthly, fleeting, ephemeral, transitory, instant, volatile and impermanent.
- What is the opposite of temporary?
- The opposite of temporary is eternal. Other antonyms of temporary are unending.
- What does temporary mean?
- Temporary means not permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: temporary (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of temporary.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/temporary. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.