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Glite Dictionary
for the moment

for the moment

189 3.4
For a short time that is not meant to last
  • idiom
translation icon : por ahora
  • I decided to put my plans on hold for the moment and see how things develop.
  • leave aside for the moment
  • set aside for the moment
  • ignore for the moment

It's like you see it and your stress for the moment disappears.

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Examples

  • No, thank you, my dear, said Dr. Y, that will be all for the moment.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • But for the moment, let me repeat this urgent message.

    Maximum Overdrive (1986)

  • But as it happened, luck, for the moment, was running with him.

    Babe (1995)

  • But for the moment, there was nothing to be done.

    Doctor Zhivago (1965)

  • OK, let's just take one of them away for the moment and we'll bring it back.

  • But things were back in shape, and for the moment he could breathe more easily.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Let us just say, for the moment, that art must hold a mirror up to life.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • But for the moment, this is how I would like to divide our forces.

    Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (2012)

  • Now listen everybody, there's nothing we can do about this for the moment.

    Lost Horizon (1973)

  • Europe is fully occupied for the moment with saving the eurozone.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

for a while
vsfor the moment
∞ 1.0

For a short time

is the same meaning but used as a brief spoken expression
temporarily
vsfor the moment
222 3.2

For a short time and not permanent

is the same idea but used more casually in speech
for the time being
vsfor the moment
106 3.4

For now until the situation changes

is similar but usually used for a short present moment
awhile
vsfor the moment
53 2.9

For a short time

is similar but often used to mark a present brief period
shortly
vsfor the moment
6 1.5

For a little time

focuses on the current short duration rather than timing of events
fleetingly
vsfor the moment
4 5.5

For a very short time

covers a short temporary period that can be longer than an instant
for a mo
vsfor the moment
  • UK
9.8

For a short time

is the same temporary sense but for a slightly longer short period

Antonyms

permanently
218 2.9

Stays the same for all time

forever
12 1.4

A very long time with no end

How Temporary

briefly
414 1.0
for the moment
189 3.4
for a while
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

for the moment positive

Morphology

for + the + moment

The meaning 'temporarily' is directly derivable from the parts: 'for' marks duration and 'the moment' denotes a very short time, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer 'for the moment' as 'for now/for a short period'. This is a common, compositional temporal expression following standard grammar and has clear equivalents in many languages, supporting full transparency.

Etymology

The phrase for the moment comes from the idea of a moment as a very short time, so it shows something that lasts only a little while. So, for the moment means 'for a short period of time' or 'temporarily'.