impermanent

adjective

im·​per·​ma·​nent (ˌ)im-ˈpər-mə-nənt How to pronounce impermanent (audio)
-ˈpərm-
: not permanent : transient
impermanently adverb

Examples of impermanent in a Sentence

built an impermanent structure to serve for the archaeologists' living quarters during the dig a summer romance that was an impermanent fancy, quickly forgotten
Recent Examples on the Web Despite being yet another impermanent fixture in Lourenço’s life, Maurice provides him with a brief enough spark to begin reconsidering his seemingly dire circumstances — or rather, to begin seeing them in a new light. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Now, a project from Art U.K. is aiming to create a record of an art form that is inherently impermanent. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Feb. 2024 For Angi, the airport is just another point in a long list of impermanent places. Seyward Darby, Longreads, 14 Feb. 2024 Even the technology of impermanent tattoos has changed. Leah Dolan, CNN, 5 Feb. 2024 Her poems could be said to be influenced by this aesthetic, in which beauty is always imperfect, impermanent, or incomplete, and in which only three simple realities are acknowledged: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect. The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2023 All things in the garden, just as in life, are provisional and impermanent. Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023 The structure serves as both a physical storage space for archival materials and a symbolic representation of humanity’s desire to retain meaning in an impermanent world. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 8 Aug. 2023 The original statues are ageless and unyielding, but these incarnations are contemporary and impermanent. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'impermanent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impermanent was in 1653

Dictionary Entries Near impermanent

Cite this Entry

“Impermanent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impermanent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

impermanent

adjective
im·​per·​ma·​nent (ˈ)im-ˈpərm(-ə)-nənt How to pronounce impermanent (audio)
: not permanent : not lasting long
impermanently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on impermanent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!