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• interim
  interim

  noun

  an intervening time; interval; meantime.
• Interim
  Interim

  noun

  any of three provisional arrangements made during the Reformation by the German emperor and Diet to regulate religious differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants

interim

American  

[in-ter-uhm] / ˈɪn tər əm /

noun

• interims
  plural

1. an intervening time; interval; meantime.

   School doesn't start till September, but he's taking a Spanish class in the interim.

2. a temporary or provisional arrangement; stopgap; makeshift.

   As an interim, her summer job was pretty good.

3. Church History. Interim, any of three provisional arrangements for the settlement of religious differences between German Protestants and Roman Catholics during the Reformation.

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adjective

1. for, during, belonging to, or connected with an intervening period of time; temporary; provisional.

   This is just an interim arrangement till office renovations are finished.

   She is the organization’s interim director while the board reviews applications for the role.

adverb

1. meanwhile.

interim ¹ British  

/ ˈɪntərɪm /

adjective

1. (prenominal) temporary, provisional, or intervening

   interim measures to deal with the emergency

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noun

1. the intervening time; the meantime (esp in the phrase in the interim )

adverb

1. rare meantime

Interim ² British  

/ ˈɪntərɪm /

noun

1. any of three provisional arrangements made during the Reformation by the German emperor and Diet to regulate religious differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants

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interim Idioms  

1. see in the interim.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• interims
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of interim

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin: “in the meantime,” from inter “between” + -im, adverb suffix

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Explanation

An interim is a period of time between one event and another. If a teacher leaves mid-year, there might be an interim teacher, one who takes over the class until a permanent replacement is hired. Interim is a Latin adverb meaning "in the meantime." The first part, inter means "between." Interim is the time between, and you can use it as a fancy way of referring to a time you squeeze something in. Maybe you get ice cream during the interim between school and piano lessons. This word is often used in official contexts — for example, after the CEO of a company steps down, an interim CEO might serve while a formal job search is conducted.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interim Interim interims

Salvatore Abbate will join LKQ as president and CEO on Dec. 15, while an interim office of the CEO helms the company until then.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

A panel of judges, following the law, refused to allow Habba to serve in an interim capacity, forcing Trump to withdraw her name from consideration for the job, designating her acting U.S. attorney instead.

From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2026

But as Clippers interim president of basketball operations Trent Redden nervously said on media day, the team works well with its back against the wall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

The two countries reached an interim trade agreement in February aimed at reducing US tariffs on Indian goods.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

The easy thing to do would be to let the issue drop and raise it again later, especially considering Bailey is not quite sixteen and there is a substantial interim before either option will occur.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Interim stabilization plans call for fill buttress at the bottom of the slope, the work necessitating closure of the southbound lanes on PCH between Reef Point and Irvine Cove drives.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026

Interim CEO Scott Murphy said he has no plans to change the company’s strategy or direction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez assured the public Saturday that Venezuela retains control of its oil under a new agreement that allows the United States significant access to it.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

Interim coach Marcus Trescothick praised Joe Root's calming influence on his return as England's Test captain in the first-Test win over Pakistan.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

Struggling to meet their final assignment from the Interim Commit tee, the four members of the scientific panel convened at Los Alamos on June 15.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

The team announced it will name interims to fill both positions for the final three games of the season “within short order.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2023

Including caretakers and interims, several of whom were chopped and changed, 39 people took charge of at least one Premier League game this season.

From BBC ● May 28, 2023

The move starts the team’s never-ending coaching carousel — now up to 10 coaches, including interims, in Snyder’s 24 seasons.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 2, 2022

Buffalo cycled through coaches with Sean McDermott the ninth, including interims, since Wade Phillips last led the Bills to the playoffs.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 1, 2019

The troopers danced together in the fire-glare––clumsily, in their boots, with interims of the pas seul savouring of the capers of those ancient Mongol horsemen in the Hezars of Genghis Khan.

From The Crimson Tide A Novel by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers

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Related Words

• provisional

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