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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 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 The Kansas City Royals continue to be plagued by a porous bullpen. — Kansas City Star, 20 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Porous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/porous. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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