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impermanent

[ im-pur-muh-nuhnt ]

/ ɪmˈpɜr mə nənt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR impermanent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

not permanent or enduring; transitory.

Origin of impermanent

First recorded in 1645–55; im-² + permanent

SYNONYMS FOR impermanent

fleeting, temporary, ephemeral, evanescent.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR impermanent ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM impermanent

im·per·ma·nence, im·per·ma·nen·cy, noun im·per·ma·nent·ly, adverb

Words nearby impermanent

imperialism, imperil, imperious, imperishable, imperium, impermanent, impermeable, impermissible, impers., imperscriptible, impersonal

Example sentences from the Web for impermanence

What better metaphor to describe the estrangement within marriage and the impermanence of love?

Jeffrey Eugenides Hails Donald Antrim’s 'Elect Mr. Robinson for a Better World' |Jeffrey Eugenides |June 2, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Their final moments together are an exploration of the impermanence of life.

Mad Men's 12 Most Memorable Moments |Jace Lacob |October 18, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
That feeling—knocked out by the impermanence of love—is echoed in the stories in Day Out of Days.

Sam Shepard Rides Again |Caryn James |January 30, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
He had been speculating upon the futility of his political energy in the light of the impermanence of life and fame.

Jennie Gerhardt |Theodore Dreiser

The presence of the women and children took away much of that feeling of impermanence associated with most pioneer activities.

The Rules of the Game |Stewart Edward White
This reflection starts the poet on a familiar train of thought—the permanence of good, the impermanence, the nullity of evil.

The Browning Cyclopdia |Edward Berdoe
Expressing nothing but a caprice, it had the futility and the impermanence of all caprices.

Americans and Others |Agnes Repplier
The world's impermanence is still the same, And all material things are conformations Subject to pain, decay and dissolution.

The Buddha |Paul Carus

British Dictionary definitions for impermanence

impermanent

/ (ɪmˈpɜːmənənt) /

adjective

not permanent; fleeting; transitory

Derived forms of impermanent

impermanence or impermanency, noun impermanently, adverb