1
Core quality
Temporary and lasting for only a brief or limited period.
Example
The confusion was transitory and soon disappeared.
transitory
/ˈtrænzɪtəri/ · TRAN-zih-tor-eeadjective
Temporary and lasting for only a brief or limited period.
Use transitory to express this relationship precisely: temporary and lasting for only a brief or limited period.
What transitory Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
Officials described the price increase as transitory.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
The insects occupy the pool during a transitory stage.
Use transitory Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The confusion was transitory and soon disappeared.
Officials described the price increase as transitory.
The insects occupy the pool during a transitory stage.
Precision Matters
Transitory overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
transitory
vs.Means temporary and lasting for only a brief or limited period.
indelible
Means impossible to remove, forget, or erase.
transitory
vs.Means temporary and lasting for only a brief or limited period.
pervasive
Means spreading widely throughout an area or group.
transitory
vs.Means temporary and lasting for only a brief or limited period.
cumulative
Means formed, increased, or measured through successive additions over time.
transitory
vs.Means temporary and lasting for only a brief or limited period.
transient
Means lasting, staying, or existing for only a short time.
Test transitory in Context
The relief was temporary and short-lived.
1
The relief proved ___: symptoms returned within hours.