impermeable

adjective

im·​per·​me·​able (ˌ)im-ˈpər-mē-ə-bəl How to pronounce impermeable (audio)
: not permitting passage (as of a fluid) through its substance
broadly : impervious

Examples of impermeable in a Sentence

an impermeable layer of rock a fabric impermeable to moisture
Recent Examples on the Web Fracking is a technique used to extract natural gas or oil from impermeable rock formations. Samantha Hendrickson, Quartz, 26 Feb. 2024 The rainwater rolls off the city’s hard, impermeable surfaces, rather than sinking into the ground. Laura Paddison, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024 The Merrell Moab 3 Mid Hiking Shoes are stocked with the best features to tackle inclement weather: an impermeable waterproof membrane, a breathable interior to let sweat out, a protective toe cap, and a bellow tongue to keep debris out. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2024 Responding to these threats, Congress created and passed a legal shield for the gun industry, which for almost twenty years has proved largely impermeable. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2024 Around the world, there are thermal spas fed by water from as much as 3–4 kilometers deep, and scientists have logged water flowing from fractures in ostensibly impermeable crystalline rock at great depths in Sweden, France, and elsewhere. Howard Lee, Ars Technica, 27 Feb. 2023 Advertisement The main canyon, where garbage is burning, has a bottom liner that serves as an impermeable barrier to ensure water pollution doesn’t filter deeper underground into local aquifers. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2024 While the crown caps and cork stoppers used to seal bottles of champagne are impermeable to liquids, gases like CO₂ can still slowly diffuse through them, particularly since the internal pressure is close to 6 bars at 12° C. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 28 July 2023 Cork fabric is light, impermeable, compressible, and has low thermal conductivity. Gabriella Sotelo, Treehugger, 24 Aug. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin impermeabilis, from Latin in- + Late Latin permeabilis permeable

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of impermeable was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near impermeable

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

impermeable

adjective
im·​per·​me·​able (ˈ)im-ˈpər-mē-ə-bəl How to pronounce impermeable (audio)
: not permitting passage (as of a fluid) through the material of which it is made

Medical Definition

impermeable

adjective
im·​per·​me·​able (ˈ)im-ˈpər-mē-ə-bəl How to pronounce impermeable (audio)
: not permitting passage (as of a fluid) through its substance
the plasma membrane of a red blood cell is relatively impermeable to sodium and calcium ions
impermeability noun
plural impermeabilities

More from Merriam-Webster on impermeable

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