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Synonyms

momentary

American  
[moh-muhn-ter-ee] / ˈmoʊ mənˌtɛr i /

adjective

  1. lasting but a moment; very brief; fleeting.

    a momentary glimpse.

  2. that might occur at any moment; ever impending.

    to live in fear of momentary annihilation.

  3. effective or recurring at every moment; constant.


momentary British  
/ ˈməʊməntərɪ, -trɪ /

adjective

  1. lasting for only a moment; temporary

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • intermomentary adjective
  • momentariness noun
  • nonmomentariness noun
  • nonmomentary adjective

Etymology

Origin of momentary

1425–75; late Middle English momentare < Latin mōmentārius. See moment, -ary

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.

It is but a momentary respite for the hard-pressed island.

From The Wall Street Journal

Speaking to the BBC last year, she admitted to a momentary crisis of confidence.

From BBC

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

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

From Science Daily

Anthropic’s standoff with the Defense Department has cost it Uncle Sam as a customer, but it has brought a momentary advantage in the ferocious talent war between rival artificial intelligence labs.

From The Wall Street Journal