permanent 1 of 2

Definition of permanentnext

permanent

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective permanent contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of permanent are durable, lasting, and stable. While all these words mean "enduring for so long as to seem fixed or established," permanent adds usually the implication of being designed or planned to stand or continue indefinitely.

permanent living arrangements

When is it sensible to use durable instead of permanent?

Although the words durable and permanent have much in common, durable implies power to resist destructive agencies.

durable fabrics

When would lasting be a good substitute for permanent?

The words lasting and permanent can be used in similar contexts, but lasting implies a capacity to continue indefinitely.

a book that left a lasting impression on me

When is stable a more appropriate choice than permanent?

The meanings of stable and permanent largely overlap; however, stable implies lastingness because of resistance to being overturned or displaced.

a stable government

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 permanent
Adjective
While some guidelines for penalties related to gambling have changed in recent years, NCAA rules still call for a permanent loss of eligibility for any player who wagered on his own team. CBS News, 8 June 2026 Even for those who don’t dye their hair, a semi-permanent color-depositing mask can add depth or subtle highlights to the hair. Giulia Lenzi, Vogue, 8 June 2026
Noun
If hotness is an effort to make the ephemeral permanent, then illness is a constant reminder of how nothing is forever. Michelle Santiago Cortés, refinery29.com, 26 June 2021 There is always a temptation to make the temporary permanent, which is why the peace government must prioritize elections. Ashraf Ghani, Foreign Affairs, 4 May 2021 See All Example Sentences for permanent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permanent
Adjective
  • Darling of the Silverwood Chinese witch kids, young business prodigy turned multimillionaire Vogue Man cover material, and eternal thorn in my side.
    Shyla Watson, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
  • The eternal debate about facing Maradona’s Argentina was whether opposition managers should elect to man-mark him.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Randall got her first perm at seven years old and consistently relaxed her hair for nearly five decades.
    Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 29 May 2026
  • This time, my eyes slid to the fresh silver polish on her fingernails, her cascading perm thick but without any undergrowth, and those eyes darting from me to the cop, glistening as if on the verge of pouring.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Dozens of harrowing twists later, Daniel was turned into a vampire by Louis’ terrifyingly powerful, 500-year-old lover, Armand (Assad Zaman), and published Louis’ confessions to the ridicule of the human media and the outrage of the understandably press-shy immortal community.
    Judy Berman, Time, 2 June 2026
  • Both gigs were lost for the usual reason, but a dream hire as the immortal Hank Williams’ business manager came next.
    Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • The conk, the afro… and the jheri curl.
    Sonari Glinton, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
  • On the way to the conk pad, Mike runs over the f–ing show!
    Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • There seemed to be an endless, abundant supply, like tissues in a brand-new box, or how people thought about fossil fuels before the nineties—until suddenly there was just…nothing.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
  • The band members chatted with The Times about recapturing the effortless essence of their immortal beach-ready sound and looking forward to a second chance to chase an endless summer.
    Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • Also, Kirby Smart and former longtime German manager Jogi Löw have similarly bad haircuts, so there's that.
    Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
  • Last Wednesday, the hotel was swarmed with guys sporting shaggy haircuts, all looking like Geese frontman Cameron Winter.
    Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • The perpetual buzz of mining bees mingled with the shuffle of rabbits through the bushes, woodpeckers’ rapid-fire drilling, and the hard-staccato tchack, tchack, tchack of ravenlike birds known as jackdaws, creating a subtle symphony.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
  • SpaceX perpetual futures on Binance were trading at a similar level.
    Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • After all, who would have thought that complex topological concepts such as Euler characters and homotopies might have anything to do with hairstyles?
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 9 June 2026
  • Her dark blonde tresses were pulled back into a half-up hairstyle, while her makeup consisted of her usual red lip and cat eye.
    Hannah Malach, InStyle, 9 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Permanent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permanent. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

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