fleeting

fleeting — adjective

1. Something that is fleeting lasts for a period that is so short it is over almost

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Something that is fleeting lasts for a period that is so short it is over almost before you are fully aware of it — often carrying a sense that the moment was precious or meaningful.

Example

A fleeting smile crossed Yara's face when she read the letter from her brother.

collocation: fleeting smile / fleeting glance / fleeting moment

Rohan caught a fleeting glimpse of a deer running through the misty forest at dawn.

collocation: fleeting glimpse

Common collocations
  • fleeting smile
  • fleeting glance
  • fleeting moment
  • fleeting glimpse
  • fleeting thought
  • fleeting feeling
  • fleeting beauty
  • fleeting fame
Synonyms
  • brief

    more neutral; simply means short in duration without the emotional tone

  • momentary

    emphasises an extremely short instant, often shorter than fleeting

  • transient

    more formal; often used in technical or written contexts about temporary conditions

  • passing

    less intense than fleeting; suggests something that comes and goes without strong emotional impact

Antonyms
  • lasting

    continues for a long time, the direct opposite of fleeting

  • permanent

    never ends; a stronger opposite than lasting

Grammar Patterns

fleeting + noun

be + fleeting

Usage Note

Often used before nouns such as 'smile', 'glance', 'moment', 'feeling', 'thought', and 'glimpse'. The word carries an emotional tone of regret or appreciation — it does not simply mean 'short', but suggests that the brevity is noteworthy or poignant.

Common Mistakes

The meeting was fleeting, lasting only thirty minutes.
The meeting was brief, lasting only thirty minutes.
'fleeting' implies something that ends too soon with emotional weight; for neutral short duration, use 'brief'.
She gave him a fleeting book to read.
She gave him a quick look
a fleeting glance.' — 'fleeting' cannot describe objects; it describes moments, experiences, or impressions.

Word family

  • fleet
    adjectiveC1
  • fleetingly
    adverbC1
  • fleetingness
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something that does not last long, but they differ in emotional colour and formality. 'Brief' is the most neutral and common — you can use it for meetings, conversations, or notes without implying any particular feeling about the shortness. 'Fleeting' adds a layer of poignancy: the shortness feels significant, even regrettable. 'Momentary' is even shorter than fleeting, often used for very specific instants (a momentary pause, a momentary loss of concentration). 'Transient' is more formal and often appears in writing about populations, phases, or conditions (transient workers, transient symptoms). 'Passing' is the mildest of the group — a passing interest or passing thought comes and goes without weight. For everyday use, choose 'brief' for neutral shortness and 'fleeting' when you want to convey that the briefness made the moment feel special or sad.

brief ↗momentarytransient ↗passing ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Fleeting comes from Middle English 'fleten' (to float, drift, flow), which in turn comes from Old English 'fleotan' (to float, swim). The original image was of something floating away on water — out of reach and disappearing. By the 1500s, the word had developed the sense of 'passing quickly', drawing on the idea of something that drifts away and is soon gone. It is related to 'fleet' (a group of ships, literally 'floating vessels') and to 'fleet' meaning 'swift' (moving quickly, like water flowing).