as in transience
the state or quality of lasting only for a short time
the ancient Roman ruins are a telling reminder of the impermanence of even the grandest man-made constructions
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Recent Examples of impermanence
The Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi—finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and authenticity—has long been a staple of international design discourse.
—
Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2025
Inspired by Bengali wedding tents and incorporating four sculptural capsules, this pavilion looks at themes of impermanence, light, and connection.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Yet, Fujimoto also notes that impermanence has always been a feature of Japanese architecture.
—Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
Each work is like a small celebration of the nature of existence, its curious assembly and, of course, its impermanence.
—Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for impermanence
Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 3 June 2025
Inspired by Bengali wedding tents and incorporating four sculptural capsules, this pavilion looks at themes of impermanence, light, and connection.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Yet, Fujimoto also notes that impermanence has always been a feature of Japanese architecture.
—Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
Each work is like a small celebration of the nature of existence, its curious assembly and, of course, its impermanence.
—Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for impermanence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impermanence
Noun
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Taken together, the idea is to accept and celebrate imperfection and transience.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
10 July 2025
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Idleness seems to breed awareness of one’s own transience. . .—
John Updike,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Noun
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In the 21st century, an array of avant-garde fashion designers have been drawn to the beauty and ephemerality of glass, which serves as a meta commentary on the transience of fashion—and life itself.—
Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell,
Smithsonian Magazine,
22 July 2025
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The statistic is notoriously volatile, and averaging such a short period only exacerbates its ephemerality.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Noun
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But transiency in the back of the bullpen extends well beyond Woodward’s arrival.—
Dallas News,
Dallas News,
27 July 2022
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The council will hold a workshop outlining strategies and efforts to remedy homelessness and transiency in the city.—
Laura Groch,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2021
Noun
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To explain why a gag is funny is to crush its soufflé evanescence.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
19 Mar. 2025
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The Stranger with its exploration of another facet of exile and belonging, this time set on a flood-prone German island that exists in a perpetual struggle between evanescence and permanence.—
Jay D. Weissberg,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impermanence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impermanence. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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