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adverb B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

temporarily

TEHMP-rih-lee

Temporarily (adverb) means For a limited period of time; not permanently. Example: “The bridge is temporarily closed for repairs.”

adverb
1
For a limited period of time; not permanently.
"The bridge is temporarily closed for repairs."
"She moved in with her sister temporarily while her flat was being renovated."

How to use temporarily

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFor now, not forever — describes something that will change or end.

Common pairings
temporarily closed temporarily unavailable temporarily suspended
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Test yourself on “temporarily” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The bridge is _____ closed for repairs.

Etymology

From temporary + the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

briefly momentarily provisionally fleetingly for the time being for now

Antonyms

continuously durably long permanently forever for the long haul

Related words

Rhymes for temporarily

See all rhymes for temporarily →

Frequently asked questions

What does “temporarily” mean?

The word “temporarily” means for a limited period of time; not permanently. In plain terms, for now, not forever — describes something that will change or end.

How do you pronounce “temporarily”?

“Temporarily” is pronounced TEHMP-rih-lee (/ˌtɛmpəˈɹɛɹəli/ in IPA).

How do you use “temporarily” in a sentence?

Here is “temporarily” used in a sentence: “The bridge is temporarily closed for repairs.”

What is the opposite of “temporarily”?

The opposite of “temporarily” — its antonyms — are continuously, durably, long, permanently and forever.

What part of speech is “temporarily”?

“Temporarily” is an adverb.

Is “temporarily” a common word?

“Temporarily” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

What is the difference between temporarily and momentarily?

Temporarily means for a limited period of any length, from minutes to months, with the expectation that things will change back. Momentarily strictly means for a very brief moment, though in American English it is also widely used to mean "very soon," as in "we will be landing momentarily." If the pause lasts longer than a moment, temporarily is the safer word.

What is the difference between temporarily and temporally?

Temporarily means for a limited time, not permanently, as in "the road is temporarily closed." Temporally is a much rarer word meaning "with respect to time" and is mostly found in academic, technical, or religious writing. The two are easy to confuse in spelling but almost never interchangeable in meaning.

How do you spell temporarily, and why is it often misspelled?

Temporarily is formed by adding -ly to temporary, with the final y changing to i: tem-po-rar-i-ly. Because the middle syllables are often swallowed in speech, misspellings such as "temporarly" and "temperarily" are common; remembering the base word temporary prevents most of them.

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