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Synonyms

short-lived

American  
[shawrt-lahyvd, -livd] / ˈʃɔrtˈlaɪvd, -ˈlɪvd /

adjective

  1. living or lasting only a little while.


short-lived British  

adjective

  1. living or lasting only for a short time

"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

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of short-lived

First recorded in 1580–90

Vocabulary lists containing short-lived

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.

The news signals that the company’s turnaround effort is back on track after customer backlash against a short-lived rebranding attempt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

The brutal artificial-intelligence selloff that rocked the market on Friday may end up being short-lived.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

However, the reconciliation appeared to be short-lived, with Lindsie saying on her podcast in March 2025 that she hadn’t had any contact with her dad in a year.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

"Instead, the dynamics of the distant Tethys Ocean can directly be correlated with short-lived periods of mountain building in Central Asia."

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

My relief was short-lived as I heard another grunt and some snuffling.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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