durable

[doo r-uh-buh l, dyoo r-]

See more synonyms for durable on Thesaurus.com

adjective

able to resist wear, decay, etc., well; lasting; enduring.

noun

durables. durable goods.

Origin of durable

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin dūrābilis. See dure², -able

Related formsdu·ra·bil·i·ty, du·ra·ble·ness, noundu·ra·bly, adverbun·du·ra·bil·i·ty, nounun·du·ra·ble, adjectiveun·du·ra·ble·ness, nounun·du·ra·bly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms for durable on Thesaurus.com

1. permanent.

Antonyms

1. weak, transitory.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for durable

Contemporary Examples

But how much they have regained or how durable their hold is remains unclear.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War
Nancy A. Youssef
January 7, 2015
The shirts are comfortable and elaborate and the suits feel relaxed yet durable.
The Hot Designer Who Hates Fashion: VK Nagrani Triumphs His Own Way
Tom Teodorczuk
December 1, 2014
Perhaps the most durable lesson of the Civil War is that the states cannot remain united if a handful make a break for the exits.
America’s Slumbering Secession Obsession
James Poulos
September 23, 2014
We fear that durable love is impossible unless both we and our mate love the way we look.
Our Bad Romance Obsession Is the Ultimate First World Problem
James Poulos
January 2, 2014
“The materials are surprisingly soft and durable,” Lee wrote in an email.
Lingerie for the 1 Percent
CNBC
August 6, 2013

Historical Examples

The effect was not durable, and in a short time I ceased to think of what had happened.
Ned Myers
James Fenimore Cooper
And what passion can be durable which is so violent as hers, and to which no respite is allowed?
Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
It is one of the slowest, because one of the most durable, of agencies.
The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 2, May, 1851
Various
His first search was for a durable filament which would burn in a vacuum.
The Age of Invention
Holland Thompson
Puriri timber is the strongest and most durable of any in the country.
Brighter Britain! (Volume 1 of 2)
William Delisle Hay

British Dictionary definitions for durable

durable

adjective

long-lasting; enduringa durable fabric

Derived Formsdurability or durableness, noundurably, adverb

Word Origin

C14: from Old French, from Latin dūrābilis, from dūrāre to last; see endure

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for durable

adj.

late 14c., from Old French durable (11c.), from Latin durabilis "lasting, permanent," from durare "to last, harden" (see endure). Durable goods attested from 1930.

durable

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}durable

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples from the Web for durable

Contemporary Examples

But how much they have regained or how durable their hold is remains unclear.

The shirts are comfortable and elaborate and the suits feel relaxed yet durable.

Perhaps the most durable lesson of the Civil War is that the states cannot remain united if a handful make a break for the exits.

We fear that durable love is impossible unless both we and our mate love the way we look.

“The materials are surprisingly soft and durable,” Lee wrote in an email.

Historical Examples

The effect was not durable, and in a short time I ceased to think of what had happened.

And what passion can be durable which is so violent as hers, and to which no respite is allowed?

It is one of the slowest, because one of the most durable, of agencies.

His first search was for a durable filament which would burn in a vacuum.

Puriri timber is the strongest and most durable of any in the country.

durable

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for durable

adj.

Origin of durable