VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

interim period

noun·Academicformal

Last updated

UK/ˈɪntərɪm ˌpɪəriəd/
US/ˈɪntərəm ˌpɪriəd/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A stretch of time between two events or arrangements, during which something temporary is in place.

    Grammar: Usually takes the: during the interim period.

    Patterns

    • during the interim period
    • in the interim period between something and something

    During the interim period, the deputy manager ran the office.

    The interim period between the two contracts lasted three months.

    Staff worked from home in the interim period before the new building opened.

  2. nouncountablebusiness

    In accounting, a reporting period shorter than a full year, such as a quarter or half year.

    Grammar: Often used in the plural for financial reports: interim periods.

    Patterns

    • interim period report

    The company issues results for each interim period.

    Tax is estimated for the interim period and adjusted later.

    Auditors reviewed the interim period figures.

Word forms

pluralinterim periods

Common combinations

during the interim period
Rent stays the same during the interim period.
in the interim period
Who will lead the team in the interim period?
short interim period
There was a short interim period before the vote.
cover the interim period
A temporary loan will cover the interim period.
throughout the interim period
Services continued throughout the interim period.

Synonyms and how they differ

meantime
Is more casual and used in speech, while interim period sounds official.
transition period
Highlights movement from one system to another, whereas interim period simply marks the gap in between.
interval
Is a neutral gap of time and does not imply that temporary arrangements are in place.
interregnum
Is a rare, formal term for a gap between rulers or governments.

Word family

interim adjective
temporary, in place until something permanent comes
interim noun
the time in between, as in in the interim
period noun
a length of time
interimly adverb
a rare word meaning temporarily

Commonly confused: interim period or interm?

interim period vs interm

This is a misspelling; the word is interim, spelled with i-m at the end.

Practice

The old manager left in May and the new one starts in August, so an assistant will lead during the ____ period.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “interim period”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words