ephemeral
adjective
, -ˈfēm-; -ˈfe-mə-, -ˈfē-
\
Definition of ephemeral
(Entry 1 of 2)
ephemeral
nounDefinition of ephemeral (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from ephemeral
Adjective
, -ˈfēm- ; -ˈfe-mə- , -ˈfē- \
adverb
Synonyms & Antonyms for ephemeral
Synonyms: Adjective
brief, deciduous, evanescent, flash, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive, impermanent, momentary, passing, short-lived, temporary, transient, transitory
Antonyms: Adjective
ceaseless, dateless, deathless, endless, enduring, eternal, everlasting, immortal, lasting, long-lived, permanent, perpetual, timeless, undying, unending
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Examples of ephemeral in a Sentence
Adjective
… several rather inflated pages of material about an ephemeral love affair Fitzgerald allegedly had with an English woman named Bijou … — Joyce Carol Oates, Times Literary Supplement, 5 Jan. 1996 As a consequence North Africa was easily reconquered by the Byzantine emperor in the 530s, and the Vandals' influence on North African development was ephemeral and negligible. — Norman F. Cantor, The Civilization of the Middle Ages, 1993 This accounts for the peculiar sense most observers have that the ephemeral, sensationalist, polymorphous, magpie popular culture of the United States is at bottom remarkably conservative … — Louis Menand, Harper's, March 1993 the autumnal blaze of colors is always to be treasured, all the more so because it is so ephemeral
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
There’s just something more ephemeral about film at that time. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, "How the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz became the ultimate Hollywood symbol," 25 Aug. 2019 But, as the stock price trend reflects, the positive run and investor enthusiasm has proved ephemeral. — Yomi Kazeem, Quartz Africa, "Jumia’s shares have dropped below its IPO price as speculators and shorts hover," 6 Aug. 2019 There’s something very rewarding about making good work with your hands, especially in 2019 when so many jobs are ephemeral. — John Wenzel, The Know, "Look closely at Broadway’s “Anastasia” to see Colorado costume shop Redthreaded," 4 Aug. 2019 And any response people have in the present tense is going to be pretty ephemeral. — Joe Fassler, The Atlantic, "Chuck Klosterman Doesn’t Believe in ‘Good Taste’," 18 July 2019 While the keto diet might seem like an ephemeral fad to some, in Los Angeles a low-carb lifestyle has been a staple for decades. — Brad Japhe, USA TODAY, "Keto is no passing craze as restaurants cater to ketosis-loving crowd in LA," 30 July 2019 Its ephemeral, unstable atmosphere is too thin to trap any heat, so Io’s average surface temperature is -202°F. — Robin George Andrews, National Geographic, "This is our best look yet at the solar system's most volcanic object," 18 July 2019 Beyond the ephemeral Tweets, few ever talk about it the next day, let alone the next week. — Mara Reinstein, Billboard, "The 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards Deliver a Bold, Unpredictable Message: Be Nice," 18 June 2019 More to the point, the frog’s life cycle requires ephemeral ponds that are dry part of the year and an open-canopy forest. — Jess Bravin, WSJ, "Supreme Court Orders Review of Agency’s Frog-Habitat Designation," 27 Nov. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
There isn’t a growing season for native plants, although ephemerals bloom and die in a few days and others flower even when there’s snow on the ground. — Hattie Bernstein, BostonGlobe.com, "Cool down this summer in these magical gardens," 5 July 2018 Early-blooming wildflowers called spring ephemerals – such as spring beauty, yellow trout lily, marsh marigold, and more – pop up in fields and woods across Northeast Ohio during early spring. — cleveland.com, "Medina County Park District Wildflower Challenge ends June 1 (photos, video)," 8 May 2017 Spring ephemerals bloom before tree leaves block the sunlight from reaching the forest floor. — cleveland.com, "Medina County Park District Wildflower Challenge ends June 1 (photos, video)," 8 May 2017 Like all spring ephemerals, the clock is always ticking for the wood anemone. — Dave Taft, New York Times, "On Forest Floors, Wood Anemone Provides a Burst of Spring," 26 Apr. 2017 The timing of this fleeting wildflower, as with other spring ephemerals, is critical to the balance of the ecosystem. — National Geographic, "These Animals Live in the Most Powerful City in the World," 24 Apr. 2016These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ephemeral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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