mindmap root((短暂)) transient applies to what is actually short in duration or stay: a hotel catering primarily to ~ guests. transitory applies to what is by its nature or essence bound to change, pass, or come to an end: fame in the movies is ~. ephemeral implies brevity of life or duration: much slang is ~. momentary suggests coming and going quickly, often merely as a brief interruption of a more enduring state or course: my feelings of guilt were only ~. fugitive implies passing so quickly as to make apprehending difficult: in winter the days are short and sunshine is ~. fleeting is close to fugitive but stresses the difficulty or impossibility of holding back from flight: a life with only ~ moments of joy. evanescent suggests momentary existence, a quick vanishing, and an airy or fragile quality: the story has an ~ touch of whimsy that is lost on stage. short-lived implies extreme brevity of life or existence, often of what might be expected to last or live longer: ~ satisfaction.