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fleetingly

fleetingly

4 5.5
For a very short time
  • adverb
  • /ˈflitɪŋli/
translation icon : brevemente
  • In the movie Topkapi, black descendants of the Mediterranean slave trade fleetingly appear in a shot of Istanbul.
  • only fleetingly
  • see fleetingly

Examples

  • Frank Burnett's success was academic, if only fleetingly so.

    Academic text (2014)
  • Lisa passes behind them, smiling fleetingly at Milo.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • We met fleetingly before as well.

  • And she has experienced, however fleetingly, what must have been grace.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Viewers construct a mental image of an object that they may have seen only fleetingly or long ago.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Similarly, two recent encyclopedias of literary theory mention him fleetingly or not at all.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Summers have passed fleetingly since I was your age, but I remember each with poignant clarity.

  • The strong-smelling blue smoke wrapped itself around us, and I noticed fleetingly that her fingers were cold.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • James Sanders' essay on the canon does touch on textual matters, but only fleetingly.

    Academic text (2007)
  • We met fleetingly before as well.

Synonyms

temporarily
vsfleetingly
222 3.2

For a short time and not permanent

stresses a very brief moment rather than a limited period
awhile
vsfleetingly
53 2.9

For a short time

is more about a very brief, fleeting moment rather than general short time
momentarily
vsfleetingly
47 3.7

For a very short time

is the same idea but can mean a bit longer very short time
shortly
vsfleetingly
6 1.5

For a little time

focuses on very brief duration rather than near future timing
transiently
vsfleetingly
1 6.8

For a short time before returning to normal

emphasises instant shortness rather than general short duration
momently
vsfleetingly
  • Archaic
8.2

Lasts for a very short time

is similar but may cover a slightly longer brief period
ephemerally
vsfleetingly
7.9

For a short time

focuses more narrowly on being very short rather than temporary
transitorily
vsfleetingly
8.7

For a short time

highlights brevity more than the idea of temporary change
passingly
vsfleetingly
5.9

Briefly and only a little for a short time

means a very short time rather than merely slight or small

Antonyms

218 2.9

Stays the same for all time

How Briefly

instantly
330 1.0
momentarily
47 3.7
fleetingly
4 5.5
briefly
414 1.0

Surface Forms

fleetingly positive

Morphology

fleetingly = fleeting (transparent) = fleet + ing + ly

Standard adjective-to-adverb formation: 'fleeting' + '-ly' yields 'fleetingly' meaning 'in a brief way'.

Etymology

The word fleetingly comes from fleet, an old word meaning 'fast'. Think of fleet-footed runners or a fleet of ships moving quickly, so something that happens fleetingly lasts only a very short time.