English Reference
Adjective

impervious

adj.
C1 Advanced US /ˌɪmˈpɝviəs/ UK /ɪmpˈɜːvɪəs/ im·per·vi·ous

adj.impossible to damage, change, or influence. You use this to describe something that stays the same no matter what happens to it.

adj.impenetrable or resistant to damage, influence, or change. Often used to describe materials that do not allow liquids to pass through or to describe people who remain unaffected by criticism.


SIMPLE

The waterproof jacket is impervious to rain.

CONTEXTUAL

The old stone walls were impervious to the heavy storms that battered the village for days.

COMPLEX

Despite the intense public scrutiny and constant media pressure, the CEO remained impervious to criticism, maintaining a steady and confident leadership style throughout the crisis.

Other research shows that protective PVC gloves actually can break down as temperatures increase and become less impervious to the chemicals.

Ars Technica· 18 Aug 2026

To deal with the settling, Peters and his team developed flexible flooring lined with an impervious three-ply fabric.

The Conversation· 7 Aug 2026

From Latin impervius (“that cannot be passed through”), from in- (“not”) + pervius (“letting things through”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated