I made a temporary repair to the broken door.
Source: tatoeba (22307)
Temporary
/ˈtɛmpəɹəɹi/
Synonyms for "temporary" (239 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (48)
actingad hocad interimalternatealternativebackupband-aidblue collar workerblue-collar workerbreadwinnerbrittlecapriciouscasualcasual laborerchangeablecommon laborercorruptiblecounterfeitdangerousday laborer
Adjective(14 words)
acting turnad hoc approachad hoc instructionad hoc materialsad hoc methodad hoc notesad hoc setupbrief digressionbrief excerptbrief overviewbrief physics guidebrief reliefbrief reportearthly concerns
Strong matches (72)
ephemeralequivalentersatzevanescentexperimentalfactory workerfadingfakeficklefleetingflittingflunkyfly-by-nightflyingfragilefrailfree lancefree-lancerfugaciousfugitive
Show 32 more words
Adjective(8 words)
Related words (119)
mutablenavvynondurablenonpermanentoffice temporarypassingperilousperishablephonypinchprecariouspro tempro temporeproletarianprovisionalprovisoryproxyreserveriskyroustabout
Show 51 more words
salaried workersecondaryself-employed personservantshakyshiftingshiftyshortshort livedshort-livedslipperysparestiffstopgapsubstitutesupplytemporaltentativeticklishtoilertokentransienttransitivetransitorytreacherousundependableundurableunenduringunfaithworthyunreliableunsolidunsoundunstableunsteadfastunsteadyunsubstantialunsureuntrustworthyutilityvicariousvolatilewage earnerwage slavewageworkerworkerworkgirlworkhandworking girlworkingmanworkingwomanworkman
Noun(32 words)
nonce prepositionofficiatingpart time workerspenciled in notespilotpilot culture change planplaceholderpolitical transition processprovisionalprovisional governmentregentshort livedshort stayshort term capacity constraintsshort volunteering termshort-termstand-instop-gap fundingstopgap measuresubstitute
Adjective(14 words)
nontenuredpilot projectpreliminary imaging diagnosisprobationary licenseprovisional diagnosisseasonal phenomenonshort durationshort termsubject to reviewtentative suggestiontranseunttransitionaryunfixedunstorable
Verb(1 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: temp, acting, acting turn, ad hoc, ad hoc approach.
- Sentence evidence is available for temporary, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "temporary".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "temporary"
Keep "temporary" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "temporary" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "temporary", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "temporary" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriesMore specific
11 entriesinterimpilot programseasonal workerseasonal workersshort-termsubstitute teachersubstitute teacherstemp clerktemp clerkstentativetrial run
Collocations
9 entriestemporary arrangementtemporary classroomtemporary delaytemporary fixtemporary housingtemporary jobtemporary measuretemporary substitutiontemporary worker
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriessimilar
23 entriesactingephemeralepisodicevanescentfly-by-nightfugaciousimprovisedinterimjury-riggedmakeshiftpart timepart-timepassingpro tempro temporeshipboard
Showing 16 of 23 words.
Sample sentences
11 total sentences available.
You'll need a temporary bridge.
Source: tatoeba (25320)
It's a temporary condition.
Source: tatoeba (27742)
Recession is a temporary falling off of business activity during a period when such activity is generally increasing.
Source: tatoeba (29685)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "temporary"?
Closest matches include temp, acting, acting turn, ad hoc, ad hoc approach.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "temporary"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.