evanescent

American  

[ev-uh-nes-uhnt] / ˌɛv əˈnɛs ənt /

adjective

1. vanishing; fading away; fleeting.

2. tending to become imperceptible; scarcely perceptible.

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evanescent British  

/ ˌɛvəˈnɛsənt /

adjective

1. passing out of sight; fading away; vanishing

2. ephemeral or transitory

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Other Word Forms

• evanescence noun
• evanescently adverb
• nonevanescent adjective
• nonevanescently adverb
• unevanescent adjective
• unevanescently adverb

Etymology

Origin of evanescent

First recorded in 1700–1805; from Latin ēvānēscent- (stem of ēvānēscēns ) “vanishing, disappearing”; evanesce, -ent

Example Sentences

While investors walk on eggshells anticipating Fed decisions, tariff relief, and evanescent cease-fires, one company is steadily feeding investors nutritious dividends, cash flows, and earnings per share growth.

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

The writing had been individual attempts to capture moments, feelings, impulses; the reshaping was to shift those evanescent feelings into a coherent form.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2024

More recently, her 2015 production of “The White Snake” at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre turned an ancient Chinese fable into entrancing, if evanescent, theatrical entertainment.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2023

Next, Mr. Irwin wanted help producing the acrylic disks for which he would become known: evanescent convex shapes, mounted so they seemed to hover and lit from four sides to create a cloverleaf pattern.

From New York Times • Oct. 13, 2022

Every man, woman, and child who had died in Weep since...since when?...and passed near enough the citadel in their evanescent journey for Minya to catch.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor