durable
adjective
du·ra·ble
ˈdu̇r-ə-bəl 
also ˈdyu̇r-
: able to exist for a long time without significant deterioration in quality or value
a durable suitcase
also
: designed to be durable
durable goods
Did you know?
Something durable lasts a long time, so it's apt that durable comes to us (via Anglo-French) from the Latin verb durare, meaning "to last." Other descendants of durare in English include during, endure, and duration, all of which concern things lasting in one way or another. Durable even has a near synonym in the much rarer perdurable, which combines durare with the prefix per- (meaning "throughout") to create a word that can mean "lasting a very long time or indefinitely" or "eternal."
Examples of durable in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bob Rae, the Canadian ambassador to the United Nations and a seasoned diplomat, told me that those with a hard power mindset view the world as a series of one-off transactions, whereas soft power can create durable norms and institutions that over the long run are less costly in lives and dollars.
—
Penny Abeywardena, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
In Gaza, meanwhile, a settlement that leads to durable postwar stability there, a new round of peace talks, and a U.S.-Israeli-Saudi coalition enabling the effective containment of Iran would be a diplomatic and strategic coup for all involved.
—Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 21 Jan. 2025
The boots are made with a blend of suede and fabric to keep your feet dry in the rain or snow, while the durable rubber sole has traction to stabilize your feet.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 21 Jan. 2025
The framers of the Constitution designed a system that required collaboration and compromise, recognizing that durable progress comes not from unilateral action but from collective deliberation.
—Casey Burgat, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
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Penny Abeywardena, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
In Gaza, meanwhile, a settlement that leads to durable postwar stability there, a new round of peace talks, and a U.S.-Israeli-Saudi coalition enabling the effective containment of Iran would be a diplomatic and strategic coup for all involved.
—Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 21 Jan. 2025
The boots are made with a blend of suede and fabric to keep your feet dry in the rain or snow, while the durable rubber sole has traction to stabilize your feet.
—Nicol Natale, People.com, 21 Jan. 2025
The framers of the Constitution designed a system that required collaboration and compromise, recognizing that durable progress comes not from unilateral action but from collective deliberation.
—Casey Burgat, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for durable
Dictionary Entries Near durable
Cite this Entry
“Durable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/durable. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
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durable
adjective
du·ra·ble
ˈd(y)u̇r-ə-bəl
: able to last a long time
durable clothing
durable goods
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