impervious
/ɪmˈpɝ.vi.əs/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.88 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Unaffected or unable to be affected by something.
adj
Preventive of any penetration; impenetrable, impermeable, particularly of water.
Example Sentences
- "The man was completely impervious to the deception we were trying."
- "Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, the consciousness dawning upon him that his eccentricity was not receiving the ovation it merited."
- "For the past decade there were two more or less universally acknowledged truths about digital advertising. First, the rapidly growing industry was largely impervious to the business cycle."
- "Although patchworked and sagging, the roof proved impervious to the weather."
- "The white faience façade, the glazed Doultonware Carrera marble, was made locally. And being glazed, it was impervious to London's sooty atmosphere, enabling easier cleaning."
- "The old car seemed to be impervious to the wear and tear of age."
Etymology
From Latin impervius (“that cannot be passed through”), from in- (“not”) + pervius (“letting things through”).
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪmˈpɝ.vi.əs/
- British English: /ɪmˈpɜːvi.əs/
Inflected Forms
more impervious (comparative)
most impervious (superlative)