impervious

adjective

(ˌ)im-ˈpər-vē-əs How to pronounce impervious (audio)
Definition of imperviousnext
1
as in tight
not allowing penetration (as by gas, liquid, or light) the material for this coat is supposed to be impervious to rain

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dense
impossible to get through or into the rain forest is impervious to all but the most dedicated explorers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impervious Waterproof materials are impervious to water, providing a complete barrier, while water-resistant materials only resist water penetration to a certain degree before the water seeps through. — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2026 From a tactical standpoint, the fort is unlikely to deter Hezbollah’s new crop of attack drones, which rely on fiber-optic cables and are impervious to jamming. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 This proposal involves extremely large impervious surfaces, roofing, pavement, truck courts, loading areas, and supporting infrastructure. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2026 Other alternatives aim to solve problems that occur when impervious pavement prevents rainwater from soaking into the ground. — Aya Diab, Fortune, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for impervious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impervious
  1. tight
  2. dense
  3. impermeable
  4. close
  5. thick
  6. impenetrable
  7. impregnable
  8. impassable
Adjective
  • Despite persistent inflation and tighter household budgets, Bankrate analyst Alex Gailey says even small financial adjustments can make a meaningful difference over time.
    — Bonnie Laden, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • Pilots are launching into a bottleneck already packed with ferries, commercial vessels, and tour boats, while sharing tight overhead airspace with NYPD, news, and helicopters, often with limited visibility.
    — Janet Handal, New York Daily News, 13 July 2026
Definition of tight
Adjective
  • If caught in dense blowing dust, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • The 23 crew members fought through dense fog and dealt with equipment issues after leaving port on June 5.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026
Definition of dense
Adjective
  • Chocolate brown stripes punctuate a light charcoal gray background, and the low-pile weave made from recycled polyester gives it an impermeable, easy-to-clean surface.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2026
  • Needing to remain impermeable to everything that is said about him is another stylistic exercise built into the equation of being a global star.
    — TIME, Time, 26 June 2026
Definition of impermeable
Adjective
  • Even though talks with the Boston Red Sox at last year’s deadline never got close, the confusion provided by an incorrect tweet announcing Ryan’s trade to New England put the pitcher at the top of every trade list before the season even began.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • Ashley Smith is the manager of player engagement for the NFL, and the siblings are close.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • With the blessing and support of the Forest Service, the tribe began working to restore parts of its homeland — not as a shrubland, or thick conifer forest, but an open and free tapestry anchored by oaks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Big bluegills fight hard, and hauling them out of sunken trees or thick vegetation on light tackle takes real skill.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026
Definition of thick
Adjective
  • In placing an increasingly expensive and impenetrable wall around Americans and their savings, banks have crucially and understandably developed a substantial amount of knowledge about their customers.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The package depicts the usual impenetrable forest of the GAS packaging in stark, thorny monochrome.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026
Definition of impenetrable
Adjective
  • Playing on home soil in a venue that has become an almost impregnable fortress, El Tri will face England in the Round of 16 — in what is arguably the most important match in Mexican soccer history.
    — Carlos Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Alexander the Great conquered it in 332 BCE after building a causeway to what had been considered an impregnable island fortress.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 23 June 2026
Definition of impregnable
Adjective
  • Officials on Saturday morning said the Gilman Trail is impassable and closed near the Edgelawn Avenue east trailhead due to flooding.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026
  • South of there, at Kessler Air Force Base, several roads became impassible.
    — Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 16 June 2026
Definition of impassable

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imperturbably
impervious
impetrate
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Cite this Entry

“Impervious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impervious. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of impervious for Spanish Speakers

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