momentary meaning and examples

2025-08-23

Meaning

Momentary means lasting for only a very short time; brief or temporary. It emphasizes something that happens quickly and does not continue for long.

Grammar and Usage

  • Adjective

    • Used before nouns.
    • Often describes feelings, pauses, interruptions, or short-lived events.

  • Typical sentence structures:

    • "a momentary pause"
    • "momentary confusion"
    • "momentary delay"

Common Phrases

  • momentary lapse – a brief mistake or loss of focus.
  • momentary pause – a short break.
  • momentary confusion – a brief state of being unsure.
  • momentary delay – a short interruption.

Collocations

  • noun + momentary: momentary loss, momentary distraction, momentary error
  • momentary + noun: momentary silence, momentary relief, momentary hesitation

Examples

  1. There was a momentary silence before the applause began.
  2. She had a momentary lapse of memory during the test.
  3. The power outage caused only a momentary interruption.
  4. His momentary hesitation cost him the race.
  5. I felt a momentary sense of relief when I heard the news.
  6. A momentary distraction can cause accidents while driving.
  7. After a momentary delay, the train resumed its journey.
  8. The comedian’s joke provided a momentary escape from stress.
  • brief
  • short-lived
  • temporary
  • fleeting
  • passing
  • transient

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