interim

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "interim" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a temporary or provisional period or arrangement, often in a professional or organizational context. Example: "The company appointed an interim manager while they searched for a permanent replacement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Or, putting the geography to one side, to mid-table in the most watched league in world football via one relegation, a painful administration and 11 different managers – permanent, interim or caretaker – at Palace alone.

The Guardian - Sport

Saunders, who has previously managed Wrexham, Doncaster and Wolves, finished the season in interim charge of Crawley but was unable to prevent them from being relegated to League Two.

The Guardian - Sport

But it would be wrong to read too much general market cheer into Kingfisher's better-than-expected 22% rise in interim pre-tax profits to £439m.

The Guardian - Business

"We welcome the high court of Australia's issuance of an interim injunction against the return of 153 other Sri Lankan asylum seekers, reportedly including 37 children, intercepted by Australian authorities," she said.

The Guardian

Judd said the players would unite behind interim coach Barker and attempt to fight their way up the AFL ladder.

The Guardian - Sport

Eight pages of legal warnings attached to the interim results showed the bank would be subjected to additional scrutiny by the US authorities for another year as the department of justice was extending the two-year non-prosecution agreement (NPA) put in place at the time of its £290m Libor-rigging fine in June 2012.

The Guardian - Business

Burton made one interim ruling: that Tempora should be pronounced with a short 'o' rather than a longer vowel sound, to avoid confusion with Japanese deep fried food.

The Guardian

Thirteen years after the Iranian nuclear programme was first exposed, and after 12 years of on-off negotiations, an interim deal and two missed deadlines for a comprehensive agreement, Tuesday is supposed to be the day of truth.

The Guardian

Consolidated Developments has applied to Central London county court for an interim possession order against "person unknown known as Daniel".

The Guardian

The Kings Fund thinktank is conducting an inquiry intoabout the future of health and social care in England that has already warned in its interim report that integrating health and social care is unlikely to produce big savings, but others have suggested savings could be as much as £8bn.

The Guardian

For the past nine months, she has also held the interim role of divisional director for the division of surgery, head and neck, one of five clinical divisions in the trust.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "interim", clearly define the expected duration or conditions for the temporary arrangement to avoid ambiguity. For instance, specify when the interim period will end or what event will trigger a change.

Common error

Don't assume that using "interim" automatically communicates how long something will last. Always specify the expected timeframe, such as "interim for six months" or "interim until a permanent solution is found".

Linguistic Context

The word "interim" functions primarily as an adjective or a noun, describing a temporary period, role, or arrangement. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across various contexts. For example, "interim government" or "in the interim".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

28%

Sport

12%

Less common in

Science

8%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "interim" is a versatile term that Ludwig AI confirms is used to denote something temporary or provisional. Primarily functioning as an adjective or noun, it frequently appears in news, business, and sports contexts. While grammatically correct and very common, clarity is key when using "interim"; always specify the duration or conditions of the temporary arrangement. Alternatives such as "temporary", "provisional", and "transitional" can be used depending on the specific context. Ensure not to assume that "interim" itself implies a particular duration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

temporary

Indicates a state that will not last indefinitely.

provisional

Suggests something is arranged for the present but may be changed later.

transitional

Emphasizes the shift from one state to another.

caretaker

Highlights the responsibility of maintaining something during a transition.

acting

Implies someone is temporarily fulfilling a role or position.

short-term

Focuses on the limited duration of the arrangement.

stopgap

Describes something used as a temporary solution until a better one is available.

pro tem

A formal term for temporarily.

ad-hoc

Suggests something is created or done for a particular purpose as necessary.

for the time being

Indicates a situation will continue only until something else happens.

FAQs

How can I use "interim" in a sentence?

You can use "interim" to describe a temporary period or role, such as "She served as the "interim CEO"" or "In the "interim", we will use this solution".

What are some alternatives to "interim"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "temporary", "provisional", or "transitional". For example, instead of "interim measures", you might say "temporary measures".

Is "interim" formal or informal?

"Interim" is generally considered a neutral to formal term, suitable for professional and official contexts. In very informal settings, simpler words like "temporary" might be preferred.

What is the difference between "interim" and "temporary"?

While both words indicate something is not permanent, "interim" often suggests a more structured or official arrangement. "Temporary" is a broader term. For example, you might have an "interim government" or an "interim report", but a "temporary fix" for a problem.