porous

adjective

po·rous | \ ˈpȯr-əs

Definition of porous

1a : possessing or full of pores

b : containing vessels hardwood is porous

2a : permeable to fluids

b : permeable to outside influences

3 : capable of being penetrated porous national boundaries

Other Words from porous Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about porous

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Examples of porous in a Sentence

The country has a porous border. a cleaner that should not be used on porous surfaces

Recent Examples on the Web

Natural stone: Homeowners with natural-stone countertops like white Carrara marble or granite must be particularly careful with stains and spills since the stone can be porous. — Elle Decor Staff, ELLE Decor, "How to Keep a Clean Kitchen," 28 Sep. 2011 By opposing funding for deploying troops to the border, Rep. Ruppersberger boldly goes where every Democrat has gone before—paying lip service to our troops while keeping our borders porous. — WSJ, "Democrats’ Stealthy Push for Open Borders," 20 Nov. 2018 However, tile does have an Achilles heel: The grout used to fill the joints between the tiles is, by comparison, porous, relatively soft, and easily stained. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How to Clean Dirty Grout," 5 Dec. 2018 The new products are the first application of a technology Nestle unveiled in 2016 that makes the structure of sugar more porous, so that a smaller amount produces the same sweetness. — Corinne Gretler, Bloomberg.com, "Nestle to Bring Sugar-Reduction Technology to U.K.'s Milkybar," 26 Mar. 2018 Keep it porous, buoyant, and deliciously unstuck, Libra. — Bess Matassa, Teen Vogue, "Weekly Horoscopes September 17-23," 10 Sep. 2016 Whiskey is aged in barrels, which are porous, and gradually loses volume through evaporation at a rate of two to four percent a year. — Fox News, "Things you didn't know about whiskey," 14 Mar. 2016 The province is near the long, porous Iraqi border, making it a thoroughfare for smugglers. — Benoit Faucon, WSJ, "Iran Struggles With Unrest in Pivotal Oil Hub," 28 Sep. 2018 Our porous border remains one of our greatest national security threats. — Fox News, "Ken Starr: Impeachment is hell," 11 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'porous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.