Word
fleeting
Phoneticsfleet·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɫitɪŋ/
UK/flˈiːtɪŋ/
Definition
adj. lasting for only a very short time; passing quickly.
adj. passing swiftly; of brief duration or ephemeral nature.
Examples
“I caught a fleeting glimpse of the deer before it ran away.”
“The politician's popularity proved to be fleeting once the economic crisis began to affect voters.”
“The poet captures the fleeting nature of youth, comparing it to the morning dew that vanishes as soon as the sun rises over the horizon.”
Examples
simple
“I caught a fleeting glimpse of the deer before it ran away.”
contextual
“The politician's popularity proved to be fleeting once the economic crisis began to affect voters.”
complex
“The poet captures the fleeting nature of youth, comparing it to the morning dew that vanishes as soon as the sun rises over the horizon.”
Usage
Commonly collocates with nouns like 'glimpse', 'moment', 'visit', or 'thought'.
Teaching tip
While neutral, this word often carries a slightly poetic or literary tone; students should use it to describe things that are naturally short-lived, like emotions or sights.
Real-World Examples
“It’s comforting that the negative body image and the tiredness, bloating and other symptoms that come with the luteal phase can be fleeting.” “The fleeting nature of these spectacular events adds to their allure.” “It presents the emotion as mysterious and fleeting; Ocean’s voice is racked, the melody haunting.” Etymology
From Middle English fleten (“to float”), from Old English flēotan (“to float”), from Proto-Germanic fleutaną, from Proto-Indo-European plewd-. By surface analysis, fleet + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/fleeting