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
The watershed also is situated on relatively flat, low-lying and porous terrain, enabling higher tides to penetrate deeper into the freshwater marshes through the vast network of canals that holds the watershed together.
—
Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The porous network allows electrons to move faster, which supports higher charging speeds and power output.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
The presser came on the heels of the firing of first-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after a porous season defensively that put the Cowboys dead-last in points allowed and 30th in total yards allowed across the NFL.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
That heat transformed the plastic into a porous, electrically conductive carbon powder.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for porous
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Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The porous network allows electrons to move faster, which supports higher charging speeds and power output.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
The presser came on the heels of the firing of first-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after a porous season defensively that put the Cowboys dead-last in points allowed and 30th in total yards allowed across the NFL.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
That heat transformed the plastic into a porous, electrically conductive carbon powder.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for porous
Cite this Entry
“Porous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porous. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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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