impermanence

American  

[im-pur-muh-nuhns] / ɪmˈpɜr mə nəns /

Rarely impermanency

noun

1. the fact or quality of being temporary or short-lived.

   The novel poignantly explores the impermanence of childhood—the ebb and flow of memories and experiences that make up our disappearing past.

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Etymology

Origin of impermanence

First recorded in 1790–1800; equivalent to im- ² ( def. ) + permanence ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

impermanence

Like the kaleidoscopic sand mandalas constructed so devotedly by Buddhist monks—and just as ceremoniously swept away—Burning Man has been about ritualized impermanence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

England have described the arrangement for the second Test as "interim", and its impermanence seems important.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

As a street artist, however, Mero has had to embrace impermanence, although she acknowledges it can be a bummer when a piece disappears in a day or two.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026

Dahlia Lithwick: The book is deliberately rooted in this paradox of permanence and impermanence.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2025

I want to be back in the motel, back on the road, in my old rootless life of impermanence and safety.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• anxiety
• fluctuation
• insecurity
• uncertainty
• volatility
• vulnerability
• weakness