durable
adjective
du·ra·ble
ˈdu̇r-ə-bəl 
also ˈdyu̇r-
: able to exist for a long time without significant deterioration in quality or value
a durable suitcase
also
: designed to be durable
durable goods
Did you know?
Something durable lasts a long time, so it's apt that durable comes to us (via Anglo-French) from the Latin verb durare, meaning "to last." Other descendants of durare in English include during, endure, and duration, all of which concern things lasting in one way or another. Durable even has a near synonym in the much rarer perdurable, which combines durare with the prefix per- (meaning "throughout") to create a word that can mean "lasting a very long time or indefinitely" or "eternal."
Examples of durable in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This composition would have made ancient tools harder and more durable than standard copper — a significant advantage for a drill bit that needed to bore through resistant materials.
—
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
That composition would have made the tool harder and more durable than standard copper — a real functional advantage for a piece meant to bore through resistant materials.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
The warm wood tones complement the duck egg walls, and the seats are durable enough to grow with the boys for years to come.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026
On the data side, the week head brings durable goods orders, housing starts, industrial production, the December PCE price index, fourth quarter GDP, new home sales, and University of Michigan consumer sentiment and inflation expectations.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for durable
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
That composition would have made the tool harder and more durable than standard copper — a real functional advantage for a piece meant to bore through resistant materials.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
The warm wood tones complement the duck egg walls, and the seats are durable enough to grow with the boys for years to come.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026
On the data side, the week head brings durable goods orders, housing starts, industrial production, the December PCE price index, fourth quarter GDP, new home sales, and University of Michigan consumer sentiment and inflation expectations.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for durable
Cite this Entry
“Durable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/durable. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
durable
adjective
du·ra·ble
ˈd(y)u̇r-ə-bəl
: able to last a long time
durable clothing
durable goods
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
