Master confusing words with ease
Transient vs. Transitory
Transient
/ˈtrænziənt/Examples:
The transient beauty of the sunset took her breath away.His interest in painting was transient but passionate.The party was a transient escape from their daily worries.
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Transitory
/ˈtrænzətəri/Examples:
The transitory nature of fashion trends keeps stores busy.His time as manager was brief and transitory, lasting months.The storm clouds were transitory, swiftly passing overhead.
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Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- The word transient comes from the Latin word meaning passing across or over and often implies temporary but with a possible repetitive sense, like in transient guests.
- Transitory has a more singular and abstract sense of something temporary without implication of recurrence, such as transitory phase.
- Both words deal with temporariness, but transient can be used to describe concrete and recurring situations, while transitory is often more abstract and used to discuss transitions or states.
- If you think of transient vehicles passing through a town, you get the sense of brief visits.
- Imagine transitory as a phase; it captures the essence of phases that change, showing progress over time.
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