transitional

transitional — adjective

1. happening during the time when something moves from one system, condition, or si

1.形容詞B2
釋義

happening during the time when something moves from one system, condition, or situation to another — for example, a transitional government that manages a country while a new constitution is being written, or a transitional period between leaving home and settling into independent adult life.

例句

The transitional government organised the country's first democratic elections in two decades.

transitional + government for temporary political arrangements

Defne saw the transitional year between school and work as a time of personal growth.

同義詞
  • interim

    focuses on the temporary arrangement filling a gap, not the process of change itself

  • provisional

    emphasises that something is arranged for now and will be replaced later, often in official contexts

  • intermediate

    describes a stage or position between two others, with less emphasis on active change

  • stopgap

    informal; refers to a temporary fix that works for a short time but is not ideal

反義詞
  • permanent

    not subject to change; intended to last indefinitely

  • final

    at the end of a process, with no further change expected

  • stable

    not changing or likely to change; settled

用法筆記

Frequently used with nouns describing periods, arrangements, or stages (transitional period, transitional phase, transitional government). The word carries a formal tone; in everyday conversation, 'in-between' or 'interim' are more common alternatives. Distinguish from 'temporary': 'temporary' emphasises limited duration, while 'transitional' stresses that a change from one state to another is in progress.

常見錯誤

❌This is only a transitional solution to the budget problem.
✅This is only a temporary solution to the budget problem.
💡'transitional' refers to change from one state to another, not just short duration; use 'temporary' when duration is the key meaning.