1
: indwelling, inherent
beauty is not something imposed but something immanent Anthony Burgess
2
: being within the limits of possible experience or knowledge compare transcendent
immanently adverb

Examples of immanent in a Sentence

a question as to whether altruism is immanent in all individuals or is instead acquired from without
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Repatriation, while an immanent and continuous process, is often relegated to secondary status by state actors that prioritize state building, stabilization, early recovery, and reconstruction. Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025 Silently, austerely, his work seemed to prophesy a future state in which photography would colonize the immanent world and illusions overtake reality. Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin immanent-, immanens, present participle of immanēre to remain in place, from Latin in- + manēre to remain — more at mansion

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of immanent was in 1535

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Immanent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immanent. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!