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

---

noun

temporaries plural

1. temp.

temporary British  

/ ˈtɛmprərɪ, ˈtɛmpərərɪ /

adjective

1. not permanent; provisional

   temporary accommodation

2. lasting only a short time; transitory

   temporary relief from pain

---

noun

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

Synonym Usage

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• temporaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of temporary

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

Explanation

Use the adjective temporary to describe something that is not permanent. "Oh my goodness! That's a tattoo," your mother might shriek. You might tell her not to worry, since it's only temporary, and will wear off in a few days. The adjective temporary is used to describe something that isn't permanent or lasts only a short time. Its roots are in the Latin word tempus, meaning "time or season." An employee who isn't a permanent addition to the staff is temporary and in this use, the word is often shortened to temp. The lull in the wind and rain is only temporary, because you know you are in the eye of the storm.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

temporary temporaries

However, if a person starts collecting Social Security before their full retirement age and continues working, there are temporary earnings limits.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

He said if he has to start ending services, he will start with interim housing, where people who have been living on the street get temporary housing with meals and showers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

A permanent position would reassure markets of policy continuity, while a temporary role could prolong uncertainty and leave the burden of maintaining stability to her eventual successor, they said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Muir said work is being progressed "as a priority" to develop a temporary cessation scheme to support permit holders affected by the closure of the yellow eel fishery.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

It was temporary housing because they were building a new dormitory.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola

Ford raised its offer to $21 per hour with profit sharing and said it would make temporaries full-time workers after 90 days of continuous service.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 5, 2023

Presumably, some of the best candidates are employed--and aren't looking.We call that the Accolo Theory of Relativity: We're all temporaries; it's just a matter of degrees.

From Inc ● Mar. 25, 2013

Many of the buildings are rundown and ratinfested; one-third of the teachers are "temporaries."

From Time Magazine Archive

As the month goes on, Chile's writers will meet their U.S. con temporaries for panel discussions of the Chilean novel, featuring Sometime Critic Arthur Schlesinger, and theater, featuring Director Jose Quintero.

From Time Magazine Archive

At twelve months the two central temporary incisors give place to the permanents; these last are more square in form than the temporaries, and are thus easily distinguished.

From The Pig Breeding, Rearing, and Marketing by Spencer, Sanders

Related Words

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