TEMPORARY Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

temporary 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē

Definition of temporary

as in interim

intended to last, continue, or serve for a limited time summer workers looking for temporary accommodations in private homes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in flash

lasting only for a short time a temporary lapse of memory

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in provisional

serving in a position for the time being the temporary head of the sales division

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

temporary

2 of 2

noun

as in temp

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of temporary

Adjective

Defining non-negotiables before a difficult decision arrives can help leaders avoid making permanent compromises under temporary pressure. — Ricardo Bellino, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 The columnless uppermost floor will hold temporary exhibitions, a viewing terrace, and a restaurant. — News Desk, Artforum, 6 Oct. 2026

Noun

Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, large areas of farmland were treated similarly, and contaminated topsoil was removed and stored in temporary as well as long-term facilities. — Eduardo B. Farfán, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026 California voters will have to approve the temporary in a special election in November. — Terry Collins, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for temporary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for temporary

Adjective

Mora, the first-year Rams coach, went nuclear on the sideline late last month at Summers, his defensive coordinator, a holdover from Jay Norvell’s staff and a former CSU interim head coach.

— Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026
Abbott read last year’s news of Stoneburner’s interim role and sent a text.

— Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of interim

Adjective

San Antonio, Texas, was under a flash-flood warning through Thursday evening, and the city urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

— Fabiola Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
On Monday, the flash-flood threat is lower, but locally heavy downpours are possible for parts of the Mid-Atlantic later in the day.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of flash

Adjective

Police said in an initial statement on Saturday that an 18-year-old man, whose vehicle had a p-plate (indicating the driver holds a provisional or probationary license) attached, was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

— Colin Millar, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
The Athletic has reported that ESPN has secured Buck to a new deal and that Amazon has signed Kirk Herbstreit, who also calls college game at ESPN, to provisional terms.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of provisional

Noun

Brener was first hired by New Line production boss Michael De Luca in 1995, starting as a temp and rising through the New Line corporate ladder to story editor then SVP.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
Born in Hiroshima in 1983, Oyamada won the Shincho Prize for New Writers for The Factory, which was drawn from her experiences working as a temp for an automaker’s subsidiary.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of temp

Adjective

CMOs are caught in the middle, trying to prove long-term brand value while delivering short-term efficiency gains.

— Derya Matras, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
This divergence reflects both short-term irregularities in how fast Earth rotates, and a very gradual, long-term slowdown of Earth’s rotation, caused primarily by the Moon’s gravitational pull on Earth’s oceans.

— Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of short-term

Adjective

With this fast-approaching launch date and the program’s brief approval window, travelers could have an Argentine passport in hand in a matter of months.

— Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
The onetime estate of Dolly Parton, who passed away in August at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, has surfaced for sale in the exclusive Bird Streets neighborhood of Los Angeles for the first time in a quarter-century.

— Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of brief

Noun

Representations and Acknowledgements • Saeed and Molly, the two other junior associates at Taylor & Byrne, seem to be scoping out Johnny for their own uses; Molly, for her part, has already activated some light flirting.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
By the end of last year, 65 Marriott associates provided more than 680 hours of mentorship, helping refugee women build confidence and job skills, as well as find opportunities for work.

— Ted Kitterman, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of associate

Adjective

Back in February, Wyandotte County commissioners decided that the local government would direct a portion of its future sales, use and transient guest tax revenues to pay for the Chiefs development.

— Sofi Zeman October 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Davis, West Sacramento and unincorporated Sacramento County already charge a 12% transient occupancy tax, and Measure X would bring Yolo County’s rate in line with those jurisdictions.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of transient

Browse Nearby Words

temporariness

temporary

temporize

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Temporary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temporary. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of temporary

adjective

noun

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