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

While you meditate you brood on the impermanence of all things, including yourself, and envision yourself as a corpse, lying out on a bier, all life gone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

But that impermanence is also what makes the holidays so special.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2025

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

From Slate • Sep. 8, 2025

For all the impermanence — packing up and relocating just about every two years — Hutson said his upbringing was in many ways ideal, shaping his outlook to this day.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 11, 2025

In the Bronx, the idea of life’s impermanence underlined everything for kids my age—it drove some of us to a paralyzing apathy, stopped us from even thinking too far into the future.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

Related Words

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