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

nontransitional adjective
transitionally adverb

Etymology

Origin of transitional

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

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.

It represents a transitional form, linking earlier Cambrian arthropods that seem to lack chelicera with later horseshoe crab-like species known as synziphosurines.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

First Minister John Swinney said his government was providing more than £900m transitional relief for businesses.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

When Lurie announced plans to accelerate the city’s homelessness response with transitional housing and treatment beds, he name-checked the Schwabs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

These field studies also led to the discovery of another species, the transitional seal ancestor Puijila darwini.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

At this stage in her life Briony inhabited an ill-defined transitional space between the nursery and adult worlds which she crossed and recrossed unpredictably.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

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