permanent 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpər-mə-nənt How to pronounce permanent (audio)
Definition of permanentnext
as in eternal
lasting forever a temporary compromise has been accepted until a more permanent solution can be agreed upon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

permanent

2 of 2

noun

as in perm

Related Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective permanent contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of permanent are durable, lasting, and stable. While all these words mean "enduring for so long as to seem fixed or established," permanent adds usually the implication of being designed or planned to stand or continue indefinitely.

permanent living arrangements

When is it sensible to use durable instead of permanent?

Although the words durable and permanent have much in common, durable implies power to resist destructive agencies.

durable fabrics

When would lasting be a good substitute for permanent?

The words lasting and permanent can be used in similar contexts, but lasting implies a capacity to continue indefinitely.

a book that left a lasting impression on me

When is stable a more appropriate choice than permanent?

The meanings of stable and permanent largely overlap; however, stable implies lastingness because of resistance to being overturned or displaced.

a stable government

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of permanent
Adjective
More than three years after the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, first responders across the region and nationwide will soon have a permanent training facility. — Lauren Linder, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 The condition, in which reduced blood flow damages the optic nerve, can cause sudden and permanent vision loss. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
While Republicans made the tax cuts for the wealthy permanent, these minor tax cuts for a few ordinary Americans are short-lived. — Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 2025 If hotness is an effort to make the ephemeral permanent, then illness is a constant reminder of how nothing is forever. — Michelle Santiago Cortés, refinery29.com, 26 June 2021 See All Example Sentences for permanent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permanent
  1. eternal
  2. perm
  3. immortal
  4. conk
  5. endless
  6. haircut
  7. perpetual
  8. hairstyle
Adjective
  • More than just loving, God is unwavering, eternal Love itself.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The low-angle light plays hobs with conventional solar panels lying flat on a lander, but Blue Origin's Power Tower is designed to exploit the near-eternal sunset/sunrise.
    — David Szondy October 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of eternal
Noun
  • With her toadstool-like jet-black perm and dark red lipstick, Haru is a striking presence, the sensuousness of her moves conveying both longing and sorrow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Between the football, the success and the fashionable perm, that was the kind of popularity that Machtig Maus (Mighty Mouse) had.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of perm
Adjective
  • After a series of trials that kept them apart, Psyche proved her devotion to the gods, was rescued by her divine husband, and became immortal herself.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
  • My absolute favorite long-burn joke is that Kenneth is immortal.
    — Maura Judkis, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of immortal
Noun
  • Fungal problems are common and some produce the mushroom growths called conks along limbs.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026
  • The conk, the afro… and the jheri curl.
    — Sonari Glinton, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
Definition of conk
Adjective
  • What to do nearby The possibilities (and activities) are endless.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Residents enjoy a Jack Nicklaus Signature 18-hole golf course, miles of hiking and biking trails, tennis and pickleball courts, and endless opportunities on Lake Keowee, including boating, swimming, or simply quiet moments on the water.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of endless
Noun
  • The department said all three victims are in the same family and that an argument over a haircut escalated into a physical altercation, during which police said guns were drawn and shots were fired.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The butterfly haircut Farrah Fawcett’s layers are still going strong almost half a century on.
    — Lorena Meouchi, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of haircut
Adjective
  • Chatten’s narrators are stuck in a perpetual apartness—desperate for safety and connection, but repeatedly failing to find it.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Whether investors’ perpetual jitters about AI infra spending are warranted is a matter of perspective.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of perpetual
Noun
  • To this day, there are white club kids in New York who are in the club talking in black-ccents and wearing imitations of black people’s hairstyles.
    — Suzy Exposito, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But as Huettl had the social media savvy to keep posting her hairstyles for the internet to see, what started out as a small bonding moment soon became a viral sensation.
    — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hairstyle

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Permanent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permanent. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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