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
For example, soils marketed for cacti and succulents are highly porous, designed to drain water away quickly from the moisture-sensitive roots of desert plants.
—
Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2025
In This Article How to Finish and Keep it Clean
As porous material, grout acts like a sponge and soaks up everything: dirt, grease, mildew, soap scum, even hard water.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 14 May 2025
Mouth taping typically involves placing a piece of skin-safe surgical or porous tape across your lips to encourage nasal breathing and prevent mouth breathing.
—Alisa Hrustic, Health, 26 May 2025
Just past the three-day fest’s headliners (the newly roots-y Post Malone, country stalwarts Brooks & Dunn and Wallen himself) are an array of acts which suggest that, at a moment when country music’s bigger than it’s been in decades, its once strict boundaries are more porous than ever.
—Meaghan Garvey, Billboard, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for porous
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Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2025
In This Article How to Finish and Keep it Clean
As porous material, grout acts like a sponge and soaks up everything: dirt, grease, mildew, soap scum, even hard water.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 14 May 2025
Mouth taping typically involves placing a piece of skin-safe surgical or porous tape across your lips to encourage nasal breathing and prevent mouth breathing.
—Alisa Hrustic, Health, 26 May 2025
Just past the three-day fest’s headliners (the newly roots-y Post Malone, country stalwarts Brooks & Dunn and Wallen himself) are an array of acts which suggest that, at a moment when country music’s bigger than it’s been in decades, its once strict boundaries are more porous than ever.
—Meaghan Garvey, Billboard, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for porous
Cite this Entry
“Porous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porous. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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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