impervious

[ im-pur-vee-uhs ]

/ ɪmˈpɜr vi əs /

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See synonyms for: impervious / imperviousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable: The coat is impervious to rain.

incapable of being injured or impaired: impervious to wear and tear.

incapable of being influenced, persuaded, or affected: impervious to reason; impervious to another's suffering.

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OTHER WORDS FOR impervious

3 invulnerable, closed.

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Also im·per·vi·a·ble

[im-pur-vee-uh-buhl]. /ɪmˈpɜr vi ə bəl/.

Origin of impervious

From the Latin word impervius, dating back to 1640–50. See im-², pervious

OTHER WORDS FROM impervious

im·per·vi·ous·ly, adverbim·per·vi·ous·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH impervious

impermeable, impervious

Words nearby impervious

impertinence, impertinency, impertinent, imperturbable, imperturbation, impervious, impetiginous, impetigo, impetigo herpetiformis, impetigo neonatorum, impetigo vulgaris

How to use impervious in a sentence

UV light is one cause of this breakdown, but merino wool offers natural UV protection, so your garment is more impervious to sun damage and will remain in like-new condition a lot longer.
Stay Cool the Rest of Summer in These Wool Basics|aweinberg|August 24, 2021|Outside Online
As more and more ground gets covered with “impervious surfaces” like asphalt roads and concrete roofs, rain has fewer and fewer ways to soak into the earth.
Tennessee floods show a pressing climate danger across America: ‘Walls of water’|Sarah Kaplan|August 24, 2021|Washington Post
The minimum requirements at BSL-3 would be an N95 mask, eye protection, gloves, and a lab coat, but we actually wear impervious Tyvek suits, aprons, and booties and are double-gloved.
“We never created a supervirus.” Ralph Baric explains gain-of-function research.|Rowan Jacobsen|July 26, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Urban centers are more prone to flooding than other areas because streets, parking lots, and buildings are impervious, meaning water can’t seep into the ground the way it would in a forest or grassland.
Cities are scrambling to prevent flooding|Casey Crownhart|July 20, 2021|MIT Technology Review

It’s not allowed because concrete creates an impervious wall, meaning a wave’s energy slams against the revetment all at once instead of breaking up among the nooks and crannies of a more natural structure.
Oceanside Seawall Dispute Hints at Looming Decisions Over Sea-Level Rise|MacKenzie Elmer|June 17, 2021|Voice of San Diego

British Dictionary definitions for impervious

impervious

imperviable

/ (ɪmˈpɜːvɪəs) /

adjective

not able to be penetrated, as by water, light, etc; impermeable

(often postpositive foll by to) not able to be influenced (by) or not receptive (to)impervious to argument

Derived forms of impervious

imperviously, adverbimperviousness, noun

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

impervious

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OTHER WORDS FOR impervious

Origin of impervious

OTHER WORDS FROM impervious

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH impervious

Words nearby impervious

Words related to impervious

How to use impervious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for impervious

imperviable

Derived forms of impervious