transient
1 of 2adjective
transient
2 of 2noun
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How Should You Use transient?
A transient mood is one that passes quickly. A brief stopover in a town on your way to somewhere else is a transient visit. A summer job on a farm is transient work, lasting only as long as the growing season. You may occasionally experience a transient episode of dizziness or weakness, which vanishes without a trace. As a noun, transient means a person who passes through a place, staying only briefly. The hoboes and tramps of earlier years were some of our most colorful transients, known for hopping freight trains, panhandling on the street, and stealing homemade pies cooling on the windowsill.
Synonyms
Adjective
- brief
- deciduous
- ephemeral
- evanescent
- flash
- fleeting
- fugacious
- fugitive
- impermanent
- momentary
- passing
- short-lived
- temporary
- transitory
Example Sentences
Guy Trebay, Village Voice, 30 July 1991 But Vandenberg, who had already written a hagiographic biography of Hamilton, was doing his personal hero no service. Rather, he trivialized him by dragging him into the transient issues of the day. John Steele Gordon, American Heritage, July/August 1990 The mountain lies between his residence and the main road, and occludes the expectation of transient visits. Thomas Jefferson, letter, 4 Aug. 1820 Susan Galer, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021 In Portland, five percent of the overall transient lodging taxes assessed on hotel and vacation rentals goes to the city’s general fund. Jamie Goldberg, oregonlive, 26 Mar. 2021 The findings are not surprising and are in line with substantial evidence that protection against infection is transient after immunization. Robert Hart, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Waco is well-known in the state for its local nonprofits that aid the transient population. Brianna Griff, Chron, 8 Aug. 2022 Wait lists are particularly distressing for this transient population with no address, no computer and often no phone. San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2022 And Hartford has a more transient population to begin with. Seamus Mcavoy, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2022 Official said Leach was likely transient at the time of his death but had ties to Washington state. oregonlive, 28 Apr. 2022 Buildings below that threshold, with many occupants who are renters, are too transient, the thinking goes, putting the building’s upkeep at risk. New York Times, 30 July 2021 Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 12 Sep. 2022 During Eric Rudolph's five years on the lam, despite a nationwide manhunt and a million-dollar bounty, a transient appears to have come closer to catching the serial bomber than did any federal agent. Blake Morrison, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2022 She was most recently described as a transient in December 2021, the records stated. Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 23 Aug. 2022 As of the second quarter, roughly two-thirds of Hilton’s mix was business transient and group, while those segments made up just over half of Marriott’s mix. Laura Forman, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 Hotel companies report business travel within two segments: business transient, for an individual business traveler; and group, for many travelers requiring rooms and a meeting space. Laura Forman, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 This particular mysterious repeating transient was bright and smaller than our Sun. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 7 Feb. 2022 Police said 27-year-old Trent William Millsap, who is described as a transient, was a suspect in East's death. Scooby Axson, USA TODAY, 16 July 2022 Jack Stanley Seprish, a transient, was arrested in Monte Rio on Thursday night after residents reported two separate vegetation fires near the 9500 block of Bohemian Highway, according to Cal Fire. Andres Picon, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 June 2022 See More Word History
Adjective and Noun
Latin transeunt-, transiens, present participle of transire to cross, pass by, from trans- + ire to go — more at issue entry 1
Adjective
1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing transient
Kids Definition
transient 1 of 2
adjective
transient
2 of 2noun
Medical Definition
transient
adjective
ˈtranch-ənt transient 1 of 2
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- temporary
- flash
- brief
- transitory
- passing
- ephemeral
- fleeting
- evanescent
- momentary
- fugacious
- impermanent
- deciduous
- short-lived
- short
- fugitive
- little
- short-term
- acting
- provisional
- interim
- shortish
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- permanent
- eternal
- lasting
- enduring
- everlasting
- perpetual
- unending
- immortal
- persistent
- timeless
- endless
- lifelong
- deathless
- ceaseless
- undying
- long-lived
- durable
- dateless
- continuing
- indestructible
- imperishable
- indefectible
transient
2 of 2noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- drifter
- vagrant
- vagabond
- hobo
- roamer
- tramp
- beggar
- derelict
- bum
- panhandler
- stiff
- mendicant
- swaggie
- swagman
- waif
- sundowner
- bindle stiff
- urchin
- dodger
- shirker
- bummer
- ragamuffin
- slacker
- malingerer
- gamine
Synonyms & Similar Words
- tourist
- visitor
- traveler
- sightseer
- traveller
- excursionist
- tripper
- rubbernecker
- guest
- vacationer
- rubberneck
- pilgrim
- vacationist
- snowbird
- hosteller
- holidaymaker
- hosteler
- wayfarer
- holidayer
- journeyer
- sunseeker
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of transient are ephemeral, evanescent, fleeting, fugitive, momentary, and transitory. While all these words mean "lasting or staying only a short time," transient applies to what is actually short in its duration or stay.
The synonyms ephemeral and transient are sometimes interchangeable, but ephemeral implies striking brevity of life or duration.
In some situations, the words evanescent and transient are roughly equivalent. However, evanescent suggests a quick vanishing and an airy or fragile quality.
Both fugitive and fleeting imply passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult.
The words momentary and transient are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, momentary suggests coming and going quickly and therefore being merely a brief interruption of a more enduring state.
The words transitory and transient can be used in similar contexts, but transitory applies to what is by its nature or essence bound to change, pass, or come to an end.