Temporary — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē/ tem·po·rary

Meaning & Definition of Temporary

Temporary (adjective)

  1. lasting for a limited time

Temporary (noun)

  1. one serving for a limited time

Temporary (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. intended to last, continue, or serve for a limited time

    "summer workers looking for temporary accommodations in private homes"

    similar: ad interim, impermanent, interim, provisional, provisionary, provisory, short-term
    related: acting, alternate, proxy, substitute, expedient, improvised, makeshift, intermediary, intermediate, transitional, ephemeral, fleeting, fugitive, short-lived, transitory, conditional, contingent, limited, qualified, short-range, tentative, replaceable, terminable, terminate
    opposite: long-term, permanent
    near: final, fixed, set, settled, unconditional, unlimited, unqualified, extended, lasting, long-range, standing, dateless, deathless, endless, enduring, eternal, everlasting, immortal, perpetual, timeless, undying, unending

  2. lasting only for a short time

    "a temporary lapse of memory"

    similar: brief, deciduous, ephemeral, evanescent, flash, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive, impermanent, momentary, passing, short-lived, transient, transitory
    related: little, short, shortish, acting, interim, provisional, short-term
    opposite: ceaseless, dateless, deathless, endless, enduring, eternal, everlasting, immortal, lasting, long-lived, permanent, perpetual, timeless, undying, unending
    near: lifelong, continuing, durable, persistent, imperishable, indefectible, indestructible

  3. serving in a position for the time being

    "the temporary head of the sales division"

    similar: acting, ad interim, interim, provisional, provisionary, provisory
    related: alternate, backup, jackleg, make-do, makeshift, proxy, stopgap, substitute
    opposite: long-term, permanent

Temporary (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in temp

    similar: temp, associate, colleague, coworker, nine-to-fiver, wage earner, wage slave, wageworker, workingman, workingwoman, workman, workwoman, drudge, gandy dancer, grub, hack, jobber, laborer, navvy (chiefly British), toiler, assistant, cog, flunky, subordinate, underling, yes-man, employee, hand, hireling, jobholder, retainer, worker
    opposite: employer, gaffer (British), boss, superior, supervisor

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Temporary

The most common words with a similar meaning to Temporary:

Chiefly British: navvy
ad interim, impermanent, interim, provisional, provisionary, provisory, short-term, brief, deciduous, ephemeral, evanescent, flash, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive, momentary, passing, short-lived, transient, transitory, acting, temp, associate, colleague, coworker, nine-to-fiver, wage earner, wage slave, wageworker, workingman, workingwoman, workman, workwoman, drudge, gandy dancer, grub, hack, jobber, laborer, toiler

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Temporary

Words with the opposite meaning of Temporary:

long-term, permanent, ceaseless, dateless, deathless, endless, enduring, eternal, everlasting, immortal, lasting, long-lived, perpetual, timeless, undying, unending, employer, gaffer, boss, superior, supervisor

Related Words for Temporary

alternate, proxy, substitute, expedient, improvised, makeshift, intermediary, intermediate, transitional, conditional, contingent, limited, qualified, short-range, tentative, replaceable, terminable, terminate, little, short, shortish, backup, jackleg, make-do, stopgap

Near Antonyms of Temporary

final, fixed, set, settled, unconditional, unlimited, unqualified, extended, long-range, standing, lifelong, continuing, durable, persistent, imperishable, indefectible, indestructible

Word Forms of Temporary

Inflections: temporaries

Derived words: temporariness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Temporary

borrowed from Latin temporārius "suited to the occasion, made for the occasion, lasting a limited time," from tempor-, tempus "time, period of time" + -ārius -ary:2 tempo

First known use: circa 1564

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Temporary

Words & Phrases Containing Temporary

temporary duty

Frequently Asked Questions about Temporary

What does "Temporary" mean?

"Temporary" means lasting for a limited time. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: lasting for a limited time. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Temporary"?

Other words for "Temporary" include ad interim, impermanent, interim, provisional, provisionary, provisory, short-term and brief. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Temporary" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Temporary"?

There are 78 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Temporary". Common alternatives include ad interim, impermanent, interim, provisional, provisionary, provisory, short-term, brief, deciduous and ephemeral.

What is the opposite of "Temporary"?

Antonyms of "Temporary" include long-term, permanent, ceaseless, dateless, deathless, endless, enduring and eternal. Near antonyms include final, fixed, set and settled.

How do you use "Temporary" in a sentence?

Examples of "Temporary" in a sentence: "summer workers looking for temporary accommodations in private homes"; "a temporary lapse of memory"; "the temporary head of the sales division".

Is "Temporary" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Temporary" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Temporary" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Temporary" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Temporary"?

"Temporary" is pronounced /ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē/ and divided into syllables as tem·po·rary.