tran·sient
ˈtran(t)-sh(ē-)ənt 
ˈtran-zē-ənt
ˈtran-zē-ənt
ˈtran(t)-sē-;
ˈtran-zhənt,
-jənt
1
a
: passing especially quickly into and out of existence : transitory
transient beauty
b
: passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn
transient visitors
2
: affecting something or producing results beyond itself
transiently
adverb
1
: one that is transient (see transient entry 1): such as
a
: a guest or boarder who stays only briefly
b
: a person traveling about usually in search of work
2
a
: a temporary oscillation that occurs in a circuit because of a sudden change of voltage or of load
b
: a transient current or voltage
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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.
Examples of transient in a Sentence
Adjective
A Summer in New York is actually Europe, the Sequel—city of transient Danes and Italians and Spaniards and French.
—
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
had transient thoughts of quitting her job and going back to school
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
had transient thoughts of quitting her job and going back to school
Recent Examples on the Web
Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Using fractional diffusion theory, the research deepens understanding of transient charging behaviors in complex materials, which is key to designing high-performance components used for advanced engineering electrochemical systems in general.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Though the origin of transients is unknown, scientists have proposed several theories.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for transient
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Adjective
Chelsea shared on her Instagram Stories that the toddler had developed transient synovitis from a viral infection.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Using fractional diffusion theory, the research deepens understanding of transient charging behaviors in complex materials, which is key to designing high-performance components used for advanced engineering electrochemical systems in general.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
The flashes of light, or transients, look like stars appearing and disappearing within a single exposure.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
Though the origin of transients is unknown, scientists have proposed several theories.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for transient
Cite this Entry
“Transient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transient. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
transient
2 of 2 noun1
: a temporary guest
2
: a person traveling about usually in search of work
Medical Definition
transient
adjective
tran·sient
ˈtran-zē-ənt
ˈtranch-ənt
ˈtranch-ənt
: passing away in time : existing temporarily
transient symptoms
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