interim

interim — adjective

1. describes a person, arrangement, or thing that fills a role or serves a purpose

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a person, arrangement, or thing that fills a role or serves a purpose for a short time while a permanent replacement or final version is being found or prepared.

Example

Gita served as interim director while the board searched for a permanent CEO.

interim + job title (director / manager / CEO)

An interim government was formed after the president resigned and before the election.

interim + government / administration

Common collocations
  • interim government
  • interim manager
  • interim director
  • interim CEO
  • interim report
  • interim measure
  • on an interim basis
  • interim solution
Synonyms
  • temporary

    broader in use; can be predicative or attributive, formal or informal

  • provisional

    suggests something arranged for now but subject to later change or confirmation

  • acting

    limited to job titles meaning 'currently performing the role, often while the permanent holder is away'

  • caretaker

    mainly used for a government or leader that holds power temporarily

Antonyms
  • permanent

    describes something lasting or intended to last indefinitely

Grammar Patterns

interim + noun

Usage Note

This sense is used only before a noun (attributive position). You can say 'an interim measure' but NOT 'The measure was interim.' For predicative use (after 'be'), use 'temporary' instead: 'The arrangement is temporary.'

Common Mistakes

She is the interim of the department.
She is the interim director of the department.
'interim' as an adjective must be followed by a noun; it is not used as a noun in this sense.
The solution was only interim.
The solution was only temporary.
'interim' cannot follow a linking verb; use 'temporary' instead.

2. relating to a period of time shorter than a full financial or business year, esp

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to a period of time shorter than a full financial or business year, especially describing reports, payments, or results that cover part of the year.

Example

The company published its interim results showing a fifteen percent rise in sales.

interim results

Shareholders received an interim dividend payment of two dollars per share.

interim dividend

Common collocations
  • interim results
  • interim report
  • interim dividend
  • interim payment
  • interim profit
  • interim statement
Synonyms
  • mid-year

    less formal; often interchangeable for reports or financial statements

  • half-yearly

    more specific; implies exactly six months rather than any partial period

Antonyms
  • annual

    covering a full year rather than part of it

Grammar Patterns

interim + financial noun

Usage Note

Common in business and finance contexts. Unlike sense 1 (temporary filling of a role), this sense carries no meaning of 'short-term replacement' — it simply refers to a period within the year. Distinguish from 'interim' sense 1: an 'interim report' in this sense means a report on part of the year, not a report that serves temporarily.

Common Mistakes

The interim manager announced the results.' (if meaning the part-year results announcement)
The interim results were announced by the manager.
'interim manager' belongs to sense 1 (temporary role); use 'interim results' or 'interim report' for the part-year business meaning.

interim — noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe situations that are not permanent, but each carries a different nuance. Interim is the most formal and is restricted to attributive position before a noun: an interim manager, an interim government. It implies an official appointment or arrangement meant to bridge a gap until a permanent solution is found. Temporary is the broadest and most versatile word: it can be used before a noun (a temporary job) or after a linking verb (the solution is temporary), and it covers any short duration, whether formal or casual. Provisional suggests that something has been arranged for now but needs to be confirmed or may change later, as in a provisional driving licence or a provisional agreement. Acting is limited to roles and titles, meaning the person is currently performing the duties of a position, often while the permanent holder is absent but expected to return. For example: 'She served as acting head of the department while the director was on leave' (the director is coming back), versus 'She was appointed interim head of the department' (a permanent head has not been chosen yet).

interim ↗temporary ↗provisional ↗acting ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • on an interim basis

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'interim' comes directly from Latin, where it was originally an adverb meaning 'meanwhile' or 'in the meantime.' It was formed from 'inter' (between, among) and an adverbial suffix '-im.' English borrowed it in the 1500s, first as an adverb and later as a noun and adjective. The sense of 'temporary arrangement' developed from the idea of something that exists only 'in the meantime' until something permanent is ready.