36 Best Transitional Typefaces (Fonts to Download)

What Are Transitional Typefaces?

Transitional typefaces are often considered a "transition" between old style fonts and more modern serifs, like Didones. You'll see a lot more contrast than you'd see in an old style serif, but you won't see quite as much as you'd see in a Didone, which can be quite stark. Here we'll explore some great transitional font examples from Envato Elements.

Fibon Transitional Sans Serif

Check out Fibon Sans, a new transitional sans-serif typeface.
It offers six different weights that work well together for headers and body text.
This highly legible typeface is beautifully suited for branding, magazine titles, logos, signage, and more.

Aviatica Classic Transitional Serif Font

Aviatica Classic Transitional Font Serif

Wouldn't this font be an awesome replacement for a Times New Roman font?
Something about it is just a little nautical.
It's bold, so it would work well for points of emphasis.

Media Times Transitional Font

This font has a lot of notable Times New Roman characteristics, but it also takes the inspiration in its own way.
Use this one in a magazine, for your newsletter, or even for your next logo design.

Garcedo Transitional Typeface Examples

Isn't this font elegant?
It takes the traditional serif font and adds all kinds of beautiful swashes and flourishes.
It would be a great fit for high-end branding and luxury products.

Jaavon Transitional Serif Fonts

How about Jaavon Transitional Serif Fonts?
We still have a taper to some of the serifs here, but the contrast starts dipping into Didone territory.
It's a classy aesthetic, isn't it?

Aderes Transitional Typefaces

Here we have a bold serif typeface.
This time, the contrast is much lower, more like we'd see in an old style font.
Remember, it's not unusual to mix aesthetics like that—it's often a great idea!

Marschel Transitional Serif Fonts

Choose from both light and regular in this stylized serif font.
There are unexpected dips in the strokes and a really beautiful use of contrast.
This font could be a great choice for branding, packaging, and more.

Bronela Transitional Fonts

This font is certainly fashionable. Try out the four different variants and experiment with all of the beautiful strokes and curves this serif typeface has to offer.
It's a really fun font to try out.

Merova Transitional Font Examples

Here's another stylish serif typeface that takes influence from a number of different aesthetics. Can you identify any of them?
Try this font and its five different variants out today.

Aspal Transitional Serif Fonts

What if we took a traditional serif and cut parts of it up?
Well, you'd likely get a visually interesting aesthetic like this one.
The result is quite graphic and memorable.

Aludra Transitional Fonts

Here's a beautiful and versatile typeface, perfect for both large text and body copy.
If you're looking for a great all-around serif to add to your collection, consider this one.

Deleplace Transitional Serif Font Family

Deleplace Transitional Serif Fonts

This font family is versatile and classy. It has three weights that you can mix and match.
Try pairing this one with another font, or let it hold its own in your next composition.

Loverica Transitional Serif Fonts

Here's another decorative serif with hints of different classifications.
This is another one that just has luxury written all over it.
Try it with photography or in your next monogram logo.

Tonic Transitional Typefaces

Here we have a serif with some extra height.
It's less decorative than the previous font, but definitely not less classy.
Imagine this one on packaging for wine, beauty products, and more.

Victoryia Wastinger Transitional Typefaces

Victoryia Wastinger Transitional Typefaces

Here's another merge of the classic serif with beautiful, sweeping lines.
This font works best for display type—use it in your next headline or to command attention on a poster design.

Romans Rexamples Transitional Fonts

This font is reminiscent of a Times New Roman semibold with even more Roman inspiration.
It's a font duo, however—so you also get the matching script font with this download.

Branch Elegant Typeface Examples

In this lovely typeface design, parts of the strokes have been omitted.
The result is really creative and memorable.
Check out those lovely, sweeping alternates. Isn't it classy?

Nandi Modern Transitional Serif Fonts

This font is bold and versatile.
It has some visible transitional typeface inspiration, but also pushes it in another direction, as many modern serifs do.
Give this font a look today.

Giveny Transitional Font Examples

Here's another font that has plenty of potential for high-end products and elegant design situations.
Imagine Giveny on invitations or paired with beauty products.

Qanaya Transitional Serif Fonts

If you're looking for a beautifully designed font family, check Qanaya out.
It comes in three weights: regular, bold, and rounded.
It also includes web fonts for your web design use.

Duarose Transitional Fonts

There's something so elegant about mixing serifs with sweeping, script-like strokes, isn't there?
This all caps serif font would be a classy addition to any type collection.

Media Times Transitional Font Examples

This font has a lot of Times New Roman semibold energy mixed with stylish curves and flourishes.
It's a remixed version of another font in this list—and it brings plenty of extra style to the table.

Endurest Transitional Typeface Examples

How about a serif font with a more organic and weathered look?
This font is rather stamp-like, and almost treads into slab serif territory.
Try this one out for your next rustic design.

Vendeur Transitional Fonts

Isn't the contrast in this transitional typeface design beautiful?
Try this elegant serif typeface in a number of situations. It could work well at larger sizes and smaller ones too.

Marinaio Transitional Font Examples

Here's a more stylized serif font for your consideration.
Experiment with the eight different included weights to make this font work for you in a wide variety of design scenarios.

Bodikago Transitional Typeface Examples

The contrast in the strokes here is really beautiful, but we also start touching more of the modern or Didone aesthetic.
Doesn't this one work well with green and gold? It's such a classy aesthetic.

Rovey Transitional Typeface Examples

If you love hand-drawn type, but you're still looking for a serif, check out this typeface.
We see transitional inspiration, but with beautifully organic strokes that have a weathered look.

Samford Transitional Typeface Examples

This font has a neutrality that makes it very versatile—but without being boring.
We see some interesting design choices here in many of the serifs and tilts of the strokes.

Nue Syierift Transitional Fonts

Here's another playful serif that experiments with script-like additions.
Experiment with the included ligatures and alternates to create some really beautiful display type.

Selma Transitional Font Examples

Isn't the width on this typeface beautiful? There's also such an interesting curve to the end of the lower case "a".
This is a great example of "less is more".

Gidora Transitional Fonts

This serif font is another one with a really interesting shape.
Take a look at the stylized approach to the tapered serifs too.
This is an unusual and memorable font choice.

Alloy Transitional Serif

If you're looking for a more traditional choice, check out this font family.
Choose from four different weights and their italic variants.
Try this one at a variety of different sizes, too.

Zimra Transitional Serif Fonts

Isn't this a classy font family?
It's easy to picture this one in a whole host of different design projects.
Work with the five included weights to use this font on its own, or pair it with a stylish display font.

Shaaron Transitional Font Examples

This serif font takes an interesting approach, as the tapered serifs are a little more chunky.
It's a playful aesthetic with a touch of transitional.
Give this font a try today.

Herz Transitional Sans Serif

Herz would be considered a modern sans serif and is great for many different uses.
This legible font is great for branding, web design, presentations, headers, and body text.
Herz is offered in three weights: light, regular, and bold.

Liber Transitional Sans Serif

When it's legibility you're after, Liber Transitional Sans Serif is an excellent choice of font.
Use it for posters, signage, or branding, as well as body text, web design, and more.

More Transitional Typefaces Examples and Resources

There are a lot of different type classifications out there, such as old style, transitional, and modern typefaces, to name a few. Consider it a way of visually observing and identifying different fonts. If you can identify the qualities that make up a font, you can better choose the perfect font for your project.

This free tutorial from Envato Tuts+ helps you understand more about typeface classification. It's perfect for beginners and an awesome refresher for experienced designers too.

If you're looking for a Times New Roman alternative, a transitional is likely what you're looking for. A well-known transitional typeface example would be Baskerville.

transitional serif fonts — Times New Roman font example and Baskerville font example

The Times New Roman font family is common in academic and professional settings, so a lot of us are very familiar with it. Let's knock out some of those frequently asked questions too.

Q: Is Times New Roman a Serif Font?

Yes, note the extended "ends" at the end of the font's stroke. Those are called serifs.

Q: What Type of Font is Times New Roman?

Times New Roman is a transitional serif typeface. It's commonly seen and used as Times New Roman regular, Times New Roman italic, and Times New Roman bold.

Q: What Does 12 Point Times New Roman Font Mean?

When someone asks "what does 12 point Times New Roman font mean", they are usually referring to common requirements in academic and research papers. The "12 point" refers to the size of the font, and it's probably one of the most common Times New Roman numbers for font size, when it comes to papers and school work, in many parts of the world.

Q: Is Times New Roman a Monospaced Font?

Times New Roman letters are proportionally spaced with a variable width. This means that Times New Roman letters are not monospaced; the Times New Roman font family is proportional, while a font like Courier would be monospaced.

times new roman font family — Times New Roman regular, Times New Roman italic, and Times New Roman bold

Curious about Times New Roman history, fonts like Times New Roman, and even fonts perfect for a Times New Roman tattoo? Then check out this article. It's a great introduction to the Times New Roman history, and it's an awesome list of inspiring fonts too.

Fonts Similar to Times New Roman (And Its History)

Nona Blackman

17 Aug 2020

But there's more to a transitional typefaces list than matching Times New Roman characteristics. Instead, let's turn to a bit of a transitional typeface history. Their first appearance was in the 18th century, and they began to visually move away from some of the more calligraphic influence in the old styles and humanist serifs. If we look at serifs, historically, we see the push continue into more modern serifs.

So we can view the transitional typeface history as just that: a transitional point for serifs. They often have a little bit of both. This is important to note when looking at modern type design—you'll likely see fonts borrow from more than one classification, and that's ok!

One of the great things about transitionals is their legibility. You'll often find a transitional font in professional settings. The overall aesthetic can have a strong air of trust and reliability. What do you think of, when you see a transitional font? They can be really dressed up for a formal and professional vibe.

Choose Your Favourite Transitional Typefaces

Now you know more about transitional typefaces and where to find the best transitional typefaces when you need them, head to Envato Elements and download your favourites today.

Here are more top resources from Envato Tuts+: