temporary

American  

[tem-puh-rer-ee] / ˈtɛm pəˌrɛr i /

adjective

1. lasting, existing, serving, or effective for a time only; not permanent.

   a temporary need;

   a temporary job.

   Synonyms:

   passing, impermanent

   Antonyms:

   permanent

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noun

plural

temporaries

1. temp.

temporary British  

/ ˈtɛmprərɪ, ˈtɛmpərərɪ /

adjective

1. not permanent; provisional

   temporary accommodation

2. lasting only a short time; transitory

   temporary relief from pain

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noun

1. Often shortened to: temp.  a person, esp a secretary or other office worker, employed on a temporary basis

Related Words

Temporary, transient, transitory agree in referring to that which is not lasting or permanent. Temporary implies an arrangement established with no thought of continuance but with the idea of being changed soon: a temporary structure. Transient describes that which is in the process of passing by, and which will therefore last or stay only a short time: a transient condition. Transitory describes an innate characteristic by which a thing, by its very nature, lasts only a short time: Life is transitory.

Other Word Forms

• nontemporariness noun
• nontemporary adjective
• temporarily adverb
• temporariness noun
• untemporary adjective

Etymology

Origin of temporary

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin temporārius, equivalent to tempor- (stem of tempus ) “time” + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

Planet said in a message to clients the "temporary" move was part of its "commitment to responsible data practices and the safety of personnel on the ground" since the eruption of the Middle East war.

From Barron's

On the flip side, temporary workers are also among the first to lose jobs when the broader economy sours.

From The Wall Street Journal

He referred to the Fed’s humbling misjudgment in 2021, when it dismissed a surge in inflation as likely to be temporary.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We don’t know the exact length, but pretty temporary,” Wright said in an interview on ABC News Thursday.

From Barron's

OpenAI also eventually wants to move ad technology in-house, The Information reported, meaning any partnership between the two companies could be temporary.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• brief
• interim
• limited
• makeshift
• momentary
• provisional
• short-lived
• transitory