permutation
noun
Did you know?
“Ch-ch-changes!” David Bowie sang memorably in his classic (and appropriately titled) hit “Changes,” which concerns the phenomenon of artistic reinvention—something Bowie knew a lot about. In fact, he could have titled the song “Permutations,” though we admit that the word would have been a bit clunkier to sing. Permutation is, after all, all about change—specifically change (as in character or condition) of something based primarily on rearrangement of its existing elements. For example, Bowie’s artistic persona went through many permutations over the course of his career, from the alien rock star Ziggy Stardust to the aristocratic Thin White Duke, with the common denominator—the existing elements—being Bowie himself. (Permutation can also be used for a form or variety resulting from such changes, and can thus refer to Bowie’s individual personae as well.) Permutation, perhaps ironically, has not changed all that much since it was borrowed into Middle English from Anglo-French as permutacioun.
Examples of permutation in a Sentence
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
For them, as for millions of Algerians, this game is not about calculations, permutations, or finding the most favorable path through the bracket.
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Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
24 June 2026
Last 16 By this stage, the third-place permutations will have disappeared and the routes through the bracket will be clear.
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Amelie Claydon,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Over the past decade, Osees have reinvented themselves as prog-metal warriors, hardcore agitators, and synth-punk freaks, investing each new permutation with the same degree of blitzkrieg aggression.
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Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for permutation
Cite this Entry
“Permutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permutation. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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permutation
noun
