1
a
: possessing or full of pores
b
: containing vessels
hardwood is porous
2
a
: permeable to fluids
b
: permeable to outside influences
3
: capable of being penetrated
porous national boundaries
porously
adverb
porousness
noun
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
Growing media are essentially porous, fibrous substances that may look like soil but don’t actually provide any nutrients.
—
Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2024
But with Malik Willis making his first start for Green Bay last weekend, the Packers’ dedication to running the ball may have exposed the Colts run defense as truly porous and one the Bears should be able to attack.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024
The plastic seems slightly softer and more porous than the Rubbermaid Brilliance set, as it was slightly stained by tomato soup after being cleaned by hand.
—Lizzy Briskin, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2024
In searching for Mavis Beacon, the pair also searches for the boundaries between representation and reality — boundaries that, in the digital age, seem more porous than ever.
—Zeba Blay, Them, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for porous 
Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2024
But with Malik Willis making his first start for Green Bay last weekend, the Packers’ dedication to running the ball may have exposed the Colts run defense as truly porous and one the Bears should be able to attack.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024
The plastic seems slightly softer and more porous than the Rubbermaid Brilliance set, as it was slightly stained by tomato soup after being cleaned by hand.
—Lizzy Briskin, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2024
In searching for Mavis Beacon, the pair also searches for the boundaries between representation and reality — boundaries that, in the digital age, seem more porous than ever.
—Zeba Blay, Them, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for porous
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'porous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near porous
Cite this Entry
“Porous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porous. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
porous
adjective
po·rous
ˈpōr-əs 
ˈpȯr-
1
: full of pores
2
: capable of absorbing liquids
Medical Definition
porous
adjective
po·rous
ˈpōr-əs, ˈpȯr-
1
: possessing or full of pores
porous bones
2
: permeable to fluids
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