Meaning & use

fleeting

adjective·Academic

Lasting for only a very short time before disappearing or passing.

See it in a sentence

She caught a fleeting glimpse of the fox before it vanished into the trees.

Their happiness felt fleeting, gone almost as quickly as it had arrived.

A note on using this word

Fleeting often carries a wistful tone, emphasizing how quickly something pleasant or beautiful disappears.

Words with a similar meaning

briefmomentary

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

lastingpermanent

Make it your own

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