Ephemeral
— lasting a very short time; fleeting
Ephemeral means lasting for a very short time — fleeting, transient, and quickly passing. It describes things that exist briefly and then vanish, often beautifully or poignantly.
A cherry blossom is ephemeral. A shooting star is ephemeral. Fame on social media is ephemeral. The word carries a bittersweet quality: ephemeral things are often precious precisely because they do not last. It is used across art, philosophy, nature, and everyday life to capture the fragile impermanence of beautiful or meaningful moments.
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Memory Mnemonic
EFFORT MERAL (EFFORT MORAL)
The keyword EFFORT MERAL (EFFORT MORAL) comes from how Ephemeral sounds when spoken aloud. This pronunciation connection makes it easy to recall the keyword whenever you hear or see the word.
Memory Link
His EFFORT to be MORAL lasted only one day—it was fleeting, lasting a very short time!
Picture someone making a grand EFFORT to be MORAL — but it lasts only one single day before they give up and go back to their old ways. Visualise them waking up full of good intentions, being kind all morning, then by evening completely abandoning the effort. That brief, fleeting attempt that vanishes almost as soon as it begins is ephemeral.
HOW TO MEMORIZE VOCABULARY
There are 3 steps to effectively memorising vocabulary.
Step 1: Derive a keyword from the word based on how the word is spelled or pronounced. Next time you see the word, you will be able to derive the keyword from it because it is based on the word.
Step 2: Form a visual memory link that connects the keyword and the meaning(s) of the word you are learning.
Step 3: Ensure to Visualise the image, see it in your imagination. This is important even if it takes a few seconds.
Usage Examples
- The ephemeral beauty of the sunset lasted only minutes before the sky faded to grey.
- Social media fame is often ephemeral — viral today, forgotten by next week.
- The artist specialized in ephemeral installations made of ice that melted within hours.
- Childhood innocence is ephemeral, slipping away so gradually that parents barely notice until it is gone.
- The ceasefire proved ephemeral, lasting only three days before fighting resumed.
Etymology of Ephemeral
From Greek ephemeros, meaning "lasting only a day," from epi (on) + hemera (day). The word entered English in the late 16th century. Originally applied to fevers that lasted only a day, it broadened to describe anything short-lived. The mayfly, which lives for just hours as an adult, is the classic symbol of the ephemeral.
Synonyms & Antonyms of Ephemeral
Synonyms
Antonyms
Common Collocations with Ephemeral
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The mnemonic visualisation above helps you learn this word instantly — no rote memorisation needed. But to move it into long-term memory, you still need to review it a few times.
This is where spaced repetition comes in — it shows you words right before you're about to forget them, so you spend less time reviewing and remember more. After just a few spaced reviews, you'll start recalling the meaning naturally — without even needing the keyword or memory link.
Built In Spaced Repetition
You've learned this word using our mnemonic system — but to truly lock it into long-term memory, you need to review it at the right time. That's where spaced repetition comes in.
Our built-in spaced repetition system shows you words just before you're about to forget them, so you review less and remember more. After a few reviews, you'll recall the meaning naturally — without even needing the keyword or memory link.
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Visualisation Help
Visualising the memory link is the most important step — it's what makes you remember the word on the very first try. Don't just read the memory link. Close your eyes and see it play out in your imagination.
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