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 evanescent “Sky Painting” did predate by a year Robert Morris’ influential atmospheric sculpture made of billowing “Steam,” and it predated by two years Judy Chicago’s first outing with ephemeral colored smoke.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2023

While it inevitably picks and chooses among the novel’s plot elements, “The English Patient” retains the original’s elusive, evanescent soul.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 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

At multiple depths, as far as I could see, there were evanescent trails of phosphorescent green bub­bles, the wake of speeding fish.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel