lasting
Americanadjective
noun
-
a strong, durable, closely woven fabric for shoe uppers, coverings on buttons, etc.
-
Archaic. the quality of surviving or continuing and maintaining strength, effectiveness, etc.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lasting
First recorded in 1125–75 lasting for def. 1; 1775–85 lasting for def. 2; Middle English (adjective); last 2 + -ing 2
Explanation
If something is lasting, it sticks around for a very long time. If you and your best pal have known each other since you were three, that's a lasting friendship. Remember that time when you wore a purple plaid shirt, a green tutu, and a top hat to school? You certainly made a lasting impression! And while using donation money to throw a fabulous party might be fun in the short term, spending the cash on new books for the school library will have more of a lasting impact. This adjective is great for things that last or continue for a long, long time.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Scott Martin, Forestry England manager for Bourne Woods, said: "His passion, expertise and dedication have made a lasting difference to these forests and the wildlife that depends on them."
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The third investigation will focus on another resource that could be essential to a lasting human presence on the Moon: water ice.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
The decisions these couples made in their 20s had a lasting impression on their financial circumstances three decades later.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
Miltenberg says he is still haunted by the lasting damage some of his clients suffered.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
He also had a recurrence of malaria that gave him fevers lasting weeks.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
