1
a
: possessing or full of pores
b
: containing vessels
hardwood is porous
2
a
: permeable to fluids
b
: permeable to outside influences
3
: capable of being penetrated
porous national boundaries
porously
adverb
porousness
noun
Examples of porous in a Sentence
The country has a porous border.
a cleaner that should not be used on porous surfaces
Recent Examples on the Web
This might sound excessive, but sponges are porous and hold onto food fragments and moisture.
—
Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2024
The gear’s 20 cubic cooling units are cut from a porous graphite that pulls water in; when wet, the units’ uneven surface increases the area from which moisture can evaporate, amplifying the body's natural cooling mechanism.
—Ashley Mateo, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
The porous backline is becoming a huge concern for Motta, who has watched his side become increasingly vulnerable since Bremer suffered a season-ending ACL tear.
—Adam Digby, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
The term refers to a class of porous crystalline materials that have large pores, plenty of surface area, and low density.
—New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for porous 
Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2024
The gear’s 20 cubic cooling units are cut from a porous graphite that pulls water in; when wet, the units’ uneven surface increases the area from which moisture can evaporate, amplifying the body's natural cooling mechanism.
—Ashley Mateo, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
The porous backline is becoming a huge concern for Motta, who has watched his side become increasingly vulnerable since Bremer suffered a season-ending ACL tear.
—Adam Digby, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
The term refers to a class of porous crystalline materials that have large pores, plenty of surface area, and low density.
—New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for porous
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'porous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near porous
Cite this Entry
“Porous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porous. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
porous
adjective
po·rous
ˈpōr-əs 
ˈpȯr-
1
: full of pores
2
: capable of absorbing liquids
Medical Definition
porous
adjective
po·rous
ˈpōr-əs, ˈpȯr-
1
: possessing or full of pores
porous bones
2
: permeable to fluids
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