SHORT-LIVED Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

short-lived

adjective

ˈshȯrt-ˈlivd

Definition of short-lived

as in brief

lasting only for a short time the skier's triumph turned out to be short-lived, as the next competitor bested her time

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of short-lived CoreWeave — Shares of the compute provider fell 4% premarket as Thursday's rebound appeared to be short-lived. — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 Combs returned to the prison later that day — but that return stint was short-lived, as Combs was transferred on Friday to the minimum-security FCI Allenwood Low in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 Tatham, after all, worked on what was once of my favorite Disneyland projects, the great but short-lived Legends of Frontierland. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 But a 15% spike in new prescriptions right after the Super Bowl ads proved short-lived. — Bob Brody, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for short-lived

Recent Examples of Synonyms for short-lived

Adjective

Misiorowski didn’t record a strikeout in the first three innings for the first time in his brief career and finished with two, matching his career low.

— Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Video footage released by Romania's intelligence service showed a person climbing the ladder of a building's fire escape, followed by brief flashes and flames engulfing a building.

— STEPHEN McGRATH, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of brief

Adjective

San Antonio, Texas, was under a flash-flood warning through Thursday evening, and the city urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

— Fabiola Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
On Monday, the flash-flood threat is lower, but locally heavy downpours are possible for parts of the Mid-Atlantic later in the day.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of flash

Adjective

The transient air pressure of a passing thunderstorm, or the excessive production of cow patties, spoiled the chips.

— Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Back in February, Wyandotte County commissioners decided that the local government would direct a portion of its future sales, use and transient guest tax revenues to pay for the Chiefs development.

— Sofi Zeman October 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of transient

Adjective

The Horned Frogs leaned more on their passing game as the run game took a step back significantly in 2023.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
Containing the ground game could put Seattle in predictable passing situations, giving the Chiefs a chance to pressure Darnold and force mistakes.

— Neil Nakahodo, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of passing

Adjective

But pieces from those fleeting years, like the rain boots and their memories, move forward with us.

— Stephanie Cook Broadhurst, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct. 2026
Time is one of Butler’s preoccupations—its fleeting nature, its nonlinear experience, its rubberbanding effect on our perception.

— Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of fleeting

Adjective

In the barn, Raad has assiduously organized ephemeral materials like wall labels from his exhibitions and name cards from dinners he’s attended, all fodder that may or may not become an artwork in the future.

— Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
But there's still plant life to be found, especially around the Hoanib River, an ephemeral river that only flows on the surface following heavy rain—though water persists underground both in the river and in springs.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of ephemeral

Browse Nearby Words

shortish

short-lived

shortly

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“Short-lived.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short-lived. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of short-lived

adjective

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