permanent
Americanadjective
-
existing perpetually; everlasting, especially without significant change.
- Synonyms:
- constant, invariable, stable
- Antonyms:
- inconstant, temporary
-
intended to exist or function for a long, indefinite period without regard to unforeseeable conditions.
a permanent employee; the permanent headquarters of the United Nations.
-
long-lasting or nonfading.
permanent pleating; permanent ink.
noun
adjective
-
existing or intended to exist for an indefinite period
a permanent structure
-
not expected to change for an indefinite time; not temporary
a permanent condition
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of permanent
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin permanent-, stem of permanēns “remaining,” present participle of permanēre “to remain”; see per-, remain
Explanation
Something that’s permanent is constant and lasting, as opposed to temporary. Think twice about writing in permanent marker or getting a tattoo — both are just about impossible to erase. If you wait around for something permanent to change, you'll be there for a long time — maybe forever. That's because the adjective permanent is used to describe something that continues on into the foreseeable future without shifting, moving, or changing at all. You might also come across the noun permanent, which refers to a chemical treatment used to curl your hair. But please know that "perms" aren't really cool anymore.
Vocabulary lists containing permanent
Ten Words related to Citizenship
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 26–March 4, 2022
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"The Ugly One," Vocabulary from Chapters 1-5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rashford was on loan at Barcelona last season but they opted to not make his move permanent, instead he returned to Manchester United while the Catalan club splashed out £69m to sign Gordon from Newcastle.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
And Alexander Hamilton advocated not for “a permanent pool of U.S. government bonds,” as Mr. Wigglesworth contends, but for “public credit immortal.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Albertsons appointed Cody Perdue as interim CFO as the company continues to search for a permanent finance chief.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
In the coming weeks, permanent plaza fences will be erected here — curvy stainless-steel structures that MAD Architects principal Dixon Junliang Lu compared to the lacy filigree of Art Nouveau architecture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
She didn’t know if his frown was directed at her specifically or was the permanent expression on his face.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
