tran·si·tion
tran(t)-ˈsi-shən 
tran-ˈzi-,
chiefly British tran(t)-ˈsi-zhən
plural transitions
1
a
: a change or shift from one state, subject, place, etc. to another
a peaceful/orderly transition of power
the actor's transition to directing
the patient's transition from the hospital to home
… the transition from print reading to screen reading has increased our reliance on images …—
Christine Rosen
Christine RosenThe program works with newcomer families, and their students, to help support the transition and integration into the school system.—Chris Sumner
Chris SumnerThe National Portrait Gallery's emphasis in its caricature collection underscores the field's subtle transition between the world wars, when it went from mostly political uses to the light-hearted entertainment of celebrity caricature.—Jane Addams Allen
Jane Addams Allen… having told all her griefs …, she was soon able to make a voluntary transition to the oddities of her cousin …—Jane Austen
Jane AustenSince the eye retains images slightly longer than it is actually exposed to them, it tends to meld two successive images into one, creating a smooth transition between them. This phenomenon … is responsible for the illusion of motion in movies … and television.—Edward Pincus and Steven Ascher
Edward Pincus and Steven Ascher
b
: a period or phase in which such a change or shift is happening
… you're at the cusp, kids. You're at the edge between childhood and everything that comes after. You're in transition.—R. J. Palacio
R. J. Palacio… non-REM sleep, which normally comprises the transition between waking and REM sleep …—Marina Chicurel
Marina ChicurelPerched at the very point of transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance …—Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews… today's average marrying age in America happens to coincide with a time of life when people have historically been less religiously active: the transition period between moving out of your parents' house and starting a household of your own.—Emma Green
Emma Green2
: something that links one state, subject, place, etc. to another : a connecting part or piece
[The front porch] served … as a vital transition between the uncontrollable out-of-doors and the cherished interior of the home.—Reynolds Price
: such as
Reynolds Price
a
: a passage of discourse in which a shift (as of subject or location) is effected
Every aspect of the book—its narrative transitions, dramatic changes in pictorial scale, fluctuations of mood, interlinking of visual themes—is handled with pinpoint control.—Holland Cotter
Holland Cotter
b
: a segment connecting one dramatic scene to another
Another misstep: the overuse of historical footage as a transition between scenes. The images are disruptive and used completely out of context, often predating the era depicted here.—Nicole Herrington
Nicole Herrington
c
: a passage linking two sections of a piece of music : bridge
Furthermore, in two instances where new musical ideas are introduced … Mozart provides a musical transition to connect the new section with the preceding one.—Michael Nott
Michael NottIt's a complicated emotion, and one that needed to be looked at and felt for quite some time before being hooked up with anything as confining as an intro, a verse or three, a chorus, and a bridge (transition between verse and chorus).—Carly Simon
Carly Simon
also
: a musical modulation (see modulation sense 3)
Occasionally composers will introduce their new key area abruptly. More often, however, they will effect a smooth transition into the new key. —Edward Aldwell and Carl Schachter
Edward Aldwell and Carl Schachter 3
: a process by which a transgender or nonbinary (see nonbinary sense c) person comes to live in accordance with their gender identity through changes to their appearance and presentation often with the aid of medical procedures and therapies
Note: While many associate this meaning of transition with a process that involves hormone therapy, gender confirmation surgery, and legal name change, the term is also applied more broadly, since what transition involves can vary a great deal from person to person. In some cases, for example, the word transition may simply refer to the adoption of new personal pronouns and/or a change in clothing, hairstyle, etc.
4
: an abrupt change in energy state or level (as of an atomic nucleus or a molecule) usually accompanied by loss or gain of a single quantum of energy
transitioned; transitioning; transitions
1
a
intransitive
: to make a change or shift from one state, subject, place, etc. to another : to make a transition
transitioning to a new facility
a student transitioning into college
Too many of the exterior shingles had transitioned from weathered to warped, and the interior walls all needed a fresh coat of paint.—Richard Russo
Richard RussoBecause tornadoes are generated when these different air masses … collide, they are most common in the spring, when the weather is transitioning from cold on the northern Plains to hot on the Gulf Coast.—Donald Prothero
Donald Prothero
b
transitive
: to cause (something or someone) to change or shift from one state, subject, place, etc. to another
Teaching children to read first in their nonstandard Swedish dialect and then transitioning them to standard Swedish speeds and improves the acquisition of reading skills.—Geoffrey K. Pullum
Geoffrey K. PullumIn the United States, the company's plans for transitioning prescription products to over-the-counter is easier now, as the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) unwritten standards for such switches have evolved.—Robin Madell
Robin Madell2
intransitive
of a transgender person
: to come to live in accordance with one's gender identity through a process that involves changes to one's appearance and presentation often with the aid of medical procedures and therapies
Not all transgender people transition, and transitions look different for all kinds of people. They can be fast, or slow, and include lots of different kinds of treatments. … Transition is not one-size-fits-all. You may be comfortable altering your gendered existence without hormones or surgery; other people will feel those kinds of physical transitions are necessary for their survival.—Diana Tourjée
Diana Tourjée… her [Jan Morris'] superb account of transitioning from male to female in the 1960s, when it was even more difficult than it is now.—Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw… she wanted to be helpful to other trans people who might not have had the same educational and cultural advantages she'd had. She had even written a guide about the practical aspects of transitioning, such as changing your name and updating legal documents, for others who might be following a similar path.—Rebecca Mead
Rebecca Mead
Examples of transition in a Sentence
Noun
We want to have a smooth transition when the new owners take control of the company.
the sometimes difficult transition from childhood to adulthood
The country made a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
Verb
The company has transitioned to new management in the past year.
a student who is transitioning to a new school
Recent Examples on the WebKatharine Houreld, Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2023
His plans of a normal transition are truncated, however, when a series of unfortunate and life-threatening events unexpectedly come his way.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2023
Must-Win Battle The elevation of Bar Dea, 42, marked the end of a 12-year transition away from Dalio, an era of CEO churn and mostly poor performance that caused some investors to bolt.
—Katherine Burton, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2023
Prince Harry and The Crown actor were both part of a race through Antarctica in 2013 through the charity Walking with the Wounded, which supports former British Armed Forces service members in their transitions to civilian life.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 27 Dec. 2023
Ben Shapiro, a researcher at RMI, a nonprofit that promotes the energy transition, said the country needed to accelerate the pace of new charging infrastructure considerably.
—Madeleine Ngo, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2023
The Hollywood studio in an SEC filing put the transaction value of eOne at $375 million, excluding transaction and transition expenses.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Dec. 2023
The shape provides ample stability, with quick edge control and a tapered linear quadratic sidecut that encourages easy transitions and reliable grip.
—Nathan Borchelt, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2023
Amistad is technically a male community re-entry program, where incarcerated people with less than 30 months left on their sentences are sent for a soft transition back into society.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2023
Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2023
In an attempt to encourage customers to transition to a power system more reliant on electrification and slash the use of fossil fuel energy generation, the legislation calls for reducing residential rates.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2023
After years of flirting with the idea, CBS, ABC and NBC have truly transitioned to a more year-round development cycle in the way of streaming services
and cable networks.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 22 Dec. 2023
Yet, one of the most notable styling tricks that has effortlessly transitioned to the streets is the use of a bold red accent.
—Alex Kessler, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2023
Some BPOs in the country have transitioned to higher-value services with the emergence of Knowledge Processing Outsourcing.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2023
Based on that information, police said, White Settlement police will transition the criminal case for prosecution to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.
—Antonio Planas, NBC News, 18 Dec. 2023
After Albania transitioned to liberalism, and people were free to leave, the country experienced an exodus of economic migrants seeking livable wages, but a better future didn’t exist for many of them.
—Han Zhang, The New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2023
The approval aligned with the end of the climate summit in Dubai, where global leaders — for the first time — agreed to transition away from oil, gas and coal.
—Dorany Pineda, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2023
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Noun
Congo is Africa’s fourth most populous country and a top global producer of copper and cobalt — two metals vital for the global green energy transition — along with gold and other minerals.
—Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2023
His plans of a normal transition are truncated, however, when a series of unfortunate and life-threatening events unexpectedly come his way.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2023
Must-Win Battle The elevation of Bar Dea, 42, marked the end of a 12-year transition away from Dalio, an era of CEO churn and mostly poor performance that caused some investors to bolt.
—Katherine Burton, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2023
Prince Harry and The Crown actor were both part of a race through Antarctica in 2013 through the charity Walking with the Wounded, which supports former British Armed Forces service members in their transitions to civilian life.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 27 Dec. 2023
Ben Shapiro, a researcher at RMI, a nonprofit that promotes the energy transition, said the country needed to accelerate the pace of new charging infrastructure considerably.
—Madeleine Ngo, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2023
The Hollywood studio in an SEC filing put the transaction value of eOne at $375 million, excluding transaction and transition expenses.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Dec. 2023
The shape provides ample stability, with quick edge control and a tapered linear quadratic sidecut that encourages easy transitions and reliable grip.
—Nathan Borchelt, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2023
Amistad is technically a male community re-entry program, where incarcerated people with less than 30 months left on their sentences are sent for a soft transition back into society.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2023
Verb
The heel is just over 2 inches, making this boot easy to transition from day to evening.
—Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2023
In an attempt to encourage customers to transition to a power system more reliant on electrification and slash the use of fossil fuel energy generation, the legislation calls for reducing residential rates.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2023
After years of flirting with the idea, CBS, ABC and NBC have truly transitioned to a more year-round development cycle in the way of streaming services
and cable networks.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 22 Dec. 2023
Yet, one of the most notable styling tricks that has effortlessly transitioned to the streets is the use of a bold red accent.
—Alex Kessler, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2023
Some BPOs in the country have transitioned to higher-value services with the emergence of Knowledge Processing Outsourcing.
—Foreign Affairs, 19 Dec. 2023
Based on that information, police said, White Settlement police will transition the criminal case for prosecution to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.
—Antonio Planas, NBC News, 18 Dec. 2023
After Albania transitioned to liberalism, and people were free to leave, the country experienced an exodus of economic migrants seeking livable wages, but a better future didn’t exist for many of them.
—Han Zhang, The New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2023
The approval aligned with the end of the climate summit in Dubai, where global leaders — for the first time — agreed to transition away from oil, gas and coal.
—Dorany Pineda, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'transition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing transition
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Dictionary Entries Near transition
Cite this Entry
“Transition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transition. Accessed 9 Jan. 2024.
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Kids Definition
transition
1 of 2 noun
tran·si·tion
tran(t)s-ˈish-ən
tranz-
1
: a changing from one state, stage, place, or subject to another
2
: a musical passage leading from one section of a piece to another
transitionally
adverb
-ē
transition
2 of 2 verb
: to make a transition
transitioning to a new school
Medical Definition
transition
1 of 2 noun
tran·si·tion
tran(t)s-ˈish-ən
tran-ˈzi-,
chiefly British tran(t)-ˈsi-zhən
1
: a change or shift from one state or stage to another
also
: a period or phase in which such a change or shift is happening
2
or transition mutation
: a point mutation in RNA or DNA that results from the substitution of one purine base for the other or of one pyrimidine base for the other
3
: a process by which a transgender person comes to live in accordance with their gender identity through changes to their appearance and presentation often with the aid of medical procedures and therapies
Note: While many associate this meaning of transition with a process that involves hormone therapy, gender confirmation surgery, and legal name change, the term is also applied more broadly, since what transition involves can vary a great deal from person to person. In some cases, for example, the word transition may simply refer to the adoption of new personal pronouns and/or a change in clothing, hairstyle, etc.
transition
2 of 2 intransitive verb
of a transgender person
: to come to live in accordance with one's gender identity through a process that involves changes to one's appearance and presentation often with the aid of medical procedures and therapies
More from Merriam-Webster on transition
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for transition
Nglish: Translation of transition for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of transition for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about transition
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