SKIP TO CONTENT

fleeting

/ˈflidɪŋ/
/ˈflitɪŋ/
IPA guide

Other forms: fleetingly

Fleeting is an adjective that describes something that happens really fast, or something that doesn’t last as long as you’d like.

Driving in a car on the highway, you see a unicorn in the woods, but you only get a fleeting glimpse of it because you’re driving too fast. Bummer. Fleeting comes from the Old English word flēotan, which means “float, swim.” Like a ghost ship floating by on a foggy night, fleeting things disappear as fast as they appear. Fleeting love may last more than a moment, but it won’t stay for very long, and that’s why it’s called fleeting.

Definitions of fleeting
  1. adjective
    lasting for a markedly brief time
    “a fleeting glance”
    short
    primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
Pronunciation
US
/ˈflidɪŋ/
UK
/ˈflitɪŋ/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘fleeting'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family