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
The film is the studio’s best hope at fielding a billion-dollar blockbuster in 2025, but even the Man of Steel isn’t impervious to box office Kryptonite.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025
Anti-immigration narratives are impervious to facts.
—Dan Gooding, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
By eliminating wood components and utilizing moisture barriers in flooring backing, manufacturers have developed products that are virtually impervious to water.
—Rotem Eylor, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
This player then has to be impervious to pressure to hold onto the ball until the right moment and smooth with their execution of the shot.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 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.
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025
Anti-immigration narratives are impervious to facts.
—Dan Gooding, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
By eliminating wood components and utilizing moisture barriers in flooring backing, manufacturers have developed products that are virtually impervious to water.
—Rotem Eylor, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
This player then has to be impervious to pressure to hold onto the ball until the right moment and smooth with their execution of the shot.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for impervious
Dictionary Entries Near impervious
Cite this Entry
“Impervious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impervious. Accessed 22 Jan. 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