momentarymo‧men‧ta‧ry /ˈməʊməntəri $ ˈmoʊmənteri/ ●○○ adjective 
There was a momentary pause.► see thesaurus at short
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Davis was surprised into a momentary silence.
- As Father Maier fretted over the course of the meeting, Ray McGovern reveled in his momentary success.
- Is this a momentary indicator with no long-term payoff?
- Leonie felt a momentary pang of compassion for her wayward granddaughter.
- Paige scarcely registered the momentary pain of his possession before spiralling waves of indescribable pleasure took her.
- They have a very hard time saying no to momentary pleasures, regardless of the risks or consequences.
- Was it all just a year of madness, a momentary dot.con?
THESAURUStime
not long: · I lived in Tokyo for a short time.· Smokers have a shorter life expectancy than non-smokers.
especially written lasting only for a short time. Brief is more formal than short, and is used especially in written English: · The president will make a brief visit to Seattle today.· He coached Hingis for a brief period in the 1990s.
[only before noun] taking a short time to do something: · I had a quick look at the map.· He had a quick shower and then went out.
lasting only for a short time – used especially when someone wishes that a good situation had been able to last for longer: · short-lived success· The ceasefire was short-lived.· a short-lived romance· short-lived optimism about the economy
lasting only for an extremely short time – used especially when someone wishes that something had been able to last for longer: · a fleeting visit· a fleeting smile· She caught a fleeting glimpse of him.· a fleeting moment of happiness· a fleeting thought
lasting for a very short time – used especially about feelings or pauses: · There was a momentary pause in the conversation.· The momentary panic ended when he found his two-year-old son waiting happily outside the store.
[only before noun] lasting only for a short time – used especially when people are only interested in something or mention something for a short time: · passing fashions· He made only a passing reference to war.· It’s just a passing phase (=it will end soon).
formal lasting only for a short time, and ending quickly like everything else in this world: · Beauty is ephemeral.· the ephemeral nature of our existence· His wealth proved to be ephemeral.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES There was a slight hesitation in Jamie’s voice. Despite the occasional lapse, this was a fine performance by the young saxophonist.
There was a slight hesitation in Jamie’s voice. Despite the occasional lapse, this was a fine performance by the young saxophonist. (=panic that does not last long)· Her momentary panic faded.
(=very short)· There was a momentary pause during which Mr Hammond glanced at his wife.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Those who are not must forgive me my momentary lapse into modest mathematical sophistication.· She turned and looked about her, suddenly angered by the mess she had made - by her momentary lapse of control.· More interesting was the momentary lapse of patience by Coach Dave Wannstedt in defending the moves.
· Algernon Peckham glanced at him, and there was a momentary pause before he moved on to speak to James Pegg.· Their faces were blue, and their stillness not a mass death but as though a momentary pause in group exercise.· There was a momentary pause, and then the sentence he had typed was repeated in soft tones through the right-hand earpiece.· The momentary pause had turned suspicion into certainty.
WORD FAMILYnounmomentmomentumadjectivemomentarymomentousadverbmomentarily
continuing for a very short time SYN brief: There was a momentary pause.► see thesaurus at short