porous

adjective

ˈpȯr-əs How to pronounce porous (audio)
Definition of porousnext
as in penetrable
capable of being passed into or through a cleaner that should not be used on porous surfaces

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 porous Through two weeks of the Dallas Cowboys’ season, there are some lumps that the team’s defense has taken that have been reminiscent of the last two porous efforts on that side of the ball. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2026 To protect their porous skin, some tropical frogs have a suit of armor. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026 Coffee tannins cause stubborn stains by seeping into porous ceramic surfaces. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2026 The layer between reality and fiction within the show is porous yet defined, conjuring the peculiar experience of seeing through the looking glass. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for porous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for porous
  1. penetrable
  2. permeable
Adjective
  • The wall between the two has long been viewed as performative and penetrable.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
  • By breaking actives down into smaller molecules, the fermentation process makes the ingredient more bioavailable and penetrable.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2025
Definition of penetrable
Adjective
  • The family’s dream home (a magazine-pristine and coolly atmospheric feat by production designer Alain Bainée) certainly looks solid, but proves quite permeable — beginning one morning when a gaping hole suddenly appears in the garden wall.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
  • After considering several options, including swapping the heat shield out for a newer one with more permeable Avcoat, NASA decided instead to change Orion’s reentry profile.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of permeable

Browse Nearby Words

porny
porous
port
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Cite this Entry

“Porous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/porous. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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