Synonyms

transitional

American

[tran-zish-uh-nl, ‐-sish‐] / trænˈzɪʃ ə nl, ‐ˈsɪʃ‐ /

Also transitionary

adjective

of or relating to a transition from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another: transitional housing for people with serious mental illness.

transitional governments;
transitional housing for people with serious mental illness.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of transitional

First recorded in 1670–80; transition ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

Sometimes people who have been laid off from their old jobs and haven’t been able to find new ones say they are in a transitional period. In other words, they are in the middle of a change. The adjective transitional relates to things such as governments, office spaces, or aspects of one’s life that are in the process of changing. This is a temporary state, until a permanent solution is established, and the word is often used with a sense of hope. For example, when someone goes through a romantic breakup and is hoping to find someone new, she might also say she is in a transitional phase. A synonym for transitional is interim.

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Vocabulary lists containing transitional

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Grammar

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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.

"Discovery of an X-ray Luminous Radio-Loud Quasar at z = 3.4: A Possible Transitional Super-Eddington Phase" in the Astrophysical Journal on January 21, 2026.

From Science Daily • Jan. 24, 2026

Emirati officials and the Southern Transitional Council couldn’t be reached for comment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

In a statement posted to social media, Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman said troops from the Southern Transitional Council should "peacefully hand over" two regional governorates to the government.

From Barron's • Dec. 27, 2025

"The special court enjoys jurisdiction to try this case according to the Transitional Constitution 2011 as amended," Presiding Judge James Alala ruled.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2025

Although the Transitional Executive Council began functioning in the new year, some parties opted out.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023