temporarily
TEHMP-rih-lee
Temporarily (adverb) means For a limited period of time; not permanently. Example: “The shop has temporarily stopped taking orders while the staff are on holiday.”
adverb
1
For a limited period of time; not permanently.
"The shop has temporarily stopped taking orders while the staff are on holiday."
"The committee also decided that the remains of President Chiang will be entombed temporarily by Tzu Lake, at Tahsi township of Taoyuan County in northern Taiwan, and will be buried on the mainland after it is recovered."
— , Late President funeral service set for April 16 (1975)
"The bridge is temporarily closed for repairs."
"She moved in with her sister temporarily while her flat was being renovated."
"The New York Post also temporarily took down and then revised and republished an article about the Fox reporter’s exchange with White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday."
— Daniel Dale (2021)
How to use temporarily
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFor now, not forever — describes something that will change or end.
Common pairings
temporarily closed
temporarily unavailable
temporarily suspended
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Etymology
From temporary + the adverb-forming suffix -ly.
Synonyms
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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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