transitional
adjective
tran·si·tion·al
tran(t)-ˈsi-sh(ə-)nəl 
tran(t)-ˈsi-zh(ə-)nəl,
tran-ˈzi-sh(ə-)nəl
: marked by transition : involving, providing, or consisting of a passage, movement, or change from one state, condition, subject, place, etc., to another
a transitional passage in music
They are often transitional areas between water environments and dry land, and are populated by many trees and plants that can put up with the occasional flood …—
JoAnn Shroyer
JoAnn ShroyerThe social worlds of neighborhood and village are now less important as transitional zones between home and nonhome settings.—Theano S. Terkenli
Theano S. Terkenli… turning into a civilian coup, that … established a transitional government and prepared the way for multi-party elections.—Larry Diamond
Larry Diamond… an animal about the size of a turkey that they contend was a flightless bird, a transitional figure between some carnivorous dinosaurs and modern birds.—John Noble Wilford
John Noble Wilford
transitionally
adverb
The problem then is to structure a sequence of reforms that is politically consistent with the social mores of the Soviet Union, economically coherent, and transitionally sound …
—Edgar L. Feige
Edgar L. Feige
Examples of transitional in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Now’s the time to start thinking about your fall closet, and Lululemon just gave a fresh restock of its We Made Too Much section, filled with transitional weather finds.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
The transitional provisions do not apply to transgender women, however, as WA says there are none competing at elite level under the current regulations.
—Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 31 July 2025
New data sharing workflows, unfamiliar vendors and transitional access permissions all increase exposure to security and privacy risks.
—Dave Albano, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
When finished, the complex at 3405 W. Roosevelt Road is expected to consist of 80 units of transitional housing for individuals or families alongside the community center.
—Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for transitional
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nicol Natale, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
The transitional provisions do not apply to transgender women, however, as WA says there are none competing at elite level under the current regulations.
—Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 31 July 2025
New data sharing workflows, unfamiliar vendors and transitional access permissions all increase exposure to security and privacy risks.
—Dave Albano, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
When finished, the complex at 3405 W. Roosevelt Road is expected to consist of 80 units of transitional housing for individuals or families alongside the community center.
—Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for transitional
Cite this Entry
“Transitional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transitional. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share