impervious
adjective
im·per·vi·ous
(ˌ)im-ˈpər-vē-əs 
1
a
: not allowing entrance or passage : impenetrable
a coat impervious to rain
b
: not capable of being damaged or harmed
a carpet impervious to rough treatment
2
: not capable of being affected or disturbed
impervious to criticism
imperviously
adverb
imperviousness
noun
Did you know?
The English language is far from impervious, and, of course, a great many Latinate terms have entered it throughout its history. Impervious is one of the many that broke through in the 17th century. It comes from the Latin impervius, which adds the prefix im- to pervius, meaning "passable" or "penetrable." Pervius—which is also the source of the relatively uncommon English word pervious, meaning "accessible" or "permeable"—comes from per-, meaning "through," and via, meaning "way."
Examples of impervious in a Sentence
He looked at her, impervious to her tears …
—
Jean Stafford, Children Are Bored on Sunday, (1945) 1953
… the trunk … is encased in so hard a bark, as to be almost impervious to a bullet …
—Herman Melville, Omoo, 1847
… Berlin struck me, above all, as impervious to any political reactions whatever …
—Stephen Spender, New York Times Magazine, 30 Oct.1977
the material for this coat is supposed to be impervious to rain
the rain forest is impervious to all but the most dedicated explorers
Jean Stafford, Children Are Bored on Sunday, (1945) 1953
… the trunk … is encased in so hard a bark, as to be almost impervious to a bullet …
—Herman Melville, Omoo, 1847
… Berlin struck me, above all, as impervious to any political reactions whatever …
—Stephen Spender, New York Times Magazine, 30 Oct.1977
the material for this coat is supposed to be impervious to rain
the rain forest is impervious to all but the most dedicated explorers
Recent Examples on the Web
Such a war would be motivated, in China, by a politics of identity that is largely impervious to economic rationality and other strategic considerations.
—Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
For years, decades even, that faux feline impervious to the rain was my secret excuse.
—Domenico Starnone, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
The 27-year-old was impervious under pressure and at one stage chopped the ball past one of Frankfurt’s forwards on the outside of his own box.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
The fabrics used for the outers are not impervious to rain, but water ingress is slowed through the use of (Nikwax) chemical treatments.
—Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impervious
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.
Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
For years, decades even, that faux feline impervious to the rain was my secret excuse.
—Domenico Starnone, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
The 27-year-old was impervious under pressure and at one stage chopped the ball past one of Frankfurt’s forwards on the outside of his own box.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
The fabrics used for the outers are not impervious to rain, but water ingress is slowed through the use of (Nikwax) chemical treatments.
—Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impervious
Cite this Entry
“Impervious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impervious. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
impervious
adjective
im·per·vi·ous
(ˈ)im-ˈpər-vē-əs
1
: not letting something enter or pass through
a coat impervious to rain
2
: not disturbed or upset
impervious to criticism
imperviousness
noun
Medical Definition
impervious
adjective
im·per·vi·ous
(ˈ)im-ˈpər-vē-əs
: not allowing entrance or passage
medication packaged in a container impervious to air and light
imperviousness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share