Transitory means lasting only a short time, temporary rather than permanent. When something is transitory, it passes quickly or doesn't stick around.

A spring rainstorm is transitory: it might pour for twenty minutes, then the sun comes out again. Your annoyance with a friend who accidentally bumped into you is transitory: you feel irritated for a moment, then it fades. A traveling circus that sets up tents in your town for a weekend is making a transitory visit.

The word helps us recognize that some things are meant to be brief. A rainbow is transitory, which makes spotting one feel special. The excitement of getting a new video game might be transitory: it feels overwhelming at first, but after a few weeks, it becomes just another game you have.

People sometimes wish transitory moments would last longer, like summer vacation or a visit from distant relatives. Other times, we're relieved something is transitory, like the sting of a scraped knee or the awkwardness of starting at a new school. Understanding that difficult feelings or situations are transitory can help us get through them, knowing they won't last forever.