adj

fleeting

FLEE-tihng

adj

Lasting only a very short time; passing quickly.

"She caught a fleeting glimpse of him through the crowd."

"Fame like that is often fleeting."

How to Use Fleeting

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomething fleeting doesn't stick around — a fleeting moment, feeling, or glance is gone almost as soon as it arrives.

Common pairings

fleeting glimpse fleeting moment fleeting glance fleeting thought

more fleeting comparative, most fleeting superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

She caught a _____ glimpse of him through the crowd.

From the Old English verb fleotan ("to float, glide"); the sense shifted from physical gliding to something that slips past quickly in time.

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