permanent 1 of 2

permanent

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noun

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
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 There is always a temptation to make the temporary permanent, which is why the peace government must prioritize elections. Ashraf Ghani, Foreign Affairs, 4 May 2021
Noun
Immigration status can range from permanent residence to holders of work and student visas, to temporary protected and undocumented. Rick Barrett, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Newsmax wants a judge to issue a permanent injunction barring Fox’s allegedly exclusionary agreements. Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for permanent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permanent
Adjective
  • Hope in Dave Canales, the second-year head coach whose optimism-springs-eternal approach has this team feeling connected.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Take, for instance, the eternal feud between Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga on The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Jeremy Strong may soon be getting a perm and rocking a gold chain.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 31 July 2025
  • But far, far worse than this was the figure sitting upright in an armchair, with a rigid perm and unblinking eyes.
    Kate Weinberg July 30, Literary Hub, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • Ne Zha’s mother is transmogrified into a magical pill at the hands of the story’s villainous mastermind, the immortal Wuliang.
    Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Hounsou will play an immortal warrior from Africa.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • On the way to the conk pad, Mike runs over the f–ing show!
    Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • That’s what the slick dude with the conk and the blue Pontiac says to Elwood, who is hitching a ride to get to college.
    Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • For millions of Americans, watching the weather forecast these days feels like an endless loop of desperate doomscrolling.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • There is endless information from doctors and fellow parents out there about the right swaddles, sleep training methods, even room temperature and light levels.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The seemingly ever-present A-lister has graced magazine covers for three decades, her haircut spurring thousands of women to lop off their long locks in the '90s.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Nothing humbles a gal quite like the horrors of an old haircut.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This fight will likely spill into the 2028 election cycle and beyond — in other words, perpetual political trench warfare.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Jack Tramiel's company got perpetual rights to ship the software on unlimited machines—no royalties, no per-unit fees.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • However, while the visit included an educational tour, meetings with local schoolchildren and even an unexpected downpour, the standout moment was the debut of Kate's new hairstyle.
    Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • In the clip, Cardi can be seen showcasing the collectible designs, each spotlighting her in the hairstyles and ensembles that had social media buzzing during the proceedings.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 4 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Permanent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permanent. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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