impermeable

[ im-pur-mee-uh-buhl ]

/ ɪmˈpɜr mi ə bəl /

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See synonyms for: impermeable / impermeability on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not permeable; impassable.

Chemistry, Geology. (of porous substances, rocks, etc.) not permitting the passage of a fluid through the pores, interstices, etc.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of impermeable

From the Late Latin word impermeābilis, dating back to 1690–1700. See im-², permeable

OTHER WORDS FROM impermeable

im·per·me·a·bil·i·ty, im·per·me·a·ble·ness, nounim·per·me·a·bly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH impermeable

impermeable , impervious

Words nearby impermeable

imperiously, imperishable, imperium, impermanence, impermanent, impermeable, impermissible, impers., imperscriptible, impersonal, impersonalism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use impermeable in a sentence

When there’s a highly compacted area beneath where the teeth of a plow can go, that impermeable layer of soil “can create standing water, and all other sorts of problems from an agricultural standpoint,” Hupy says.
Russia’s invasion could cause long-term harm to Ukraine’s prized soil|Rebecca Dzombak|June 21, 2022|Science News
If the pandemic has shown us anything about work life and home life, it’s that the two aren’t separate spheres, divided by an impermeable wall.
The two things most likely to lead to creativity at work|Cassie Werber|February 25, 2022|Quartz
It’s also 50 times more airtight than the most impermeable plastics on the market.
This new material is as strong as steel—but lighter|Shi En Kim|February 17, 2022|Popular-Science
In some areas, if the underlying ground is relatively impermeable, it is possible to build a seawall or levees that slow groundwater rise.
How rising groundwater caused by climate change could devastate coastal communities|Kendra Pierre-Louis|December 13, 2021|MIT Technology Review

With EGS, they’re attempting to engineer what’s underground by pumping fluid down into impermeable rock to force cracks open.
What it will take to unleash the potential of geothermal power|Casey Crownhart|December 8, 2021|MIT Technology Review
The daily hardships demand an impermeable skin for survival.
Boko Loco: A View From Nigeria|Lola Ogunnaike|May 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Another impermeable Republican in Washington looks to be Chuck Hagel.
With an Eye on South Carolina, Lindsey Graham Takes Aim at Chuck Hagel|Patricia Murphy|February 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
"I don't know that I would call him impermeable, but he just about is," Ryggs says.
With an Eye on South Carolina, Lindsey Graham Takes Aim at Chuck Hagel|Patricia Murphy|February 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Polish typically interferes with the procedure by creating an impermeable barrier on the nail bed.
Breathable Nail Polish Fits Muslim Women's Religious Restrictions|Misty White Sidell|January 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It was consensus, the impermeable devotion to an article of faith.
Hurricane "Jerusalem" Hits the DNC|Daniel Seidemann|September 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The streams disappear in the detritus cone, and the water runs below over impermeable layers of glacial clay.
Trans-Himalaya, Vol. 2 (of 2)|Sven Hedin
These pieces are fitted closely together, length under length, and form an impermeable wall along the side of the pit.
Lives of the Engineers|Samuel Smiles
Oiled it is kappa, impermeable and suitable for covering packages and for making waterproof garments.
Appletons' Popular Science Monthly, January 1900|Various
Modern anatomists know that the heart is divided into two approximately equal parts by an impermeable septum of tough fibres.
A History of Science, Volume 1(of 5)|Henry Smith Williams
Plaster work is rendered impermeable by mixing artificial or natural asphaltum with it.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines|Andrew Ure

British Dictionary definitions for impermeable

impermeable

/ (ɪmˈpɜːmɪəbəl) /

adjective

(of a substance) not allowing the passage of a fluid through interstices; not permeable

Derived forms of impermeable

impermeability or impermeableness, nounimpermeably, adverb

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

Scientific definitions for impermeable

impermeable

[ ĭm-pûr′mē-ə-bəl ]

Relating to a material through which substances, such as liquids or gases, cannot pass. Some substances, such as some types of contact lenses, are permeable to gas but impermeable to liquid.

impermeable

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Origin of impermeable

OTHER WORDS FROM impermeable

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH impermeable

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Words related to impermeable

How to use impermeable in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for impermeable

Derived forms of impermeable

Scientific definitions for impermeable