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. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

impermanence

England have described the arrangement for the second Test as "interim", and its impermanence seems important.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

At times, Day said the inherent impermanence of the spotlight gets to her.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

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

The air of collective displacement, the impermanence of life in wartime and the gauche personalities of the more recent arrivals tended to dissipate my own sense of not belonging.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

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