sat·u·rate
ˈsa-chə-ˌrāt 
saturated; saturating
1
: to satisfy fully : satiate
2
: to treat, furnish, or charge with something to the point where no more can be absorbed, dissolved, or retained
water saturated with salt
3
a
: to fill completely with something that permeates or pervades
book is saturated with Hollywood—
Newgate Callendar
Newgate Callendar
b
: to load to capacity
4
: to cause to combine until there is no further tendency to combine
Synonyms
Examples of saturate in a Sentence
Verb
Saturate the sponge with water.
Images of the war saturated the news.
Their new products are saturating the market.
Adjective
the test will only work if the sample cloth is saturate with solution
Recent Examples on the WebEmilia David, The Verge, 18 Apr. 2024
An endless scroll of tailored content means that young minds are saturated, emerging studies show that those who use TikTok are more easily distracted and less able to focus on tasks.
—Howard Murphy, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2024
The system also could drop 0.30 inches of rain from the coast to inland valleys, further saturating areas prone to rock and mudslides.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024
Astronomers say that leading up to the eclipse, some colors in natural light may appear saturated, and shadows may start to look fuzzy.
—Caitlin Babcock, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Apr. 2024
Selecting a geographical location where the market is already saturated with similar offerings may not make commercial sense.
—Fiona Simpson, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
If used too long, the filter can become saturated with chemicals and not work as well.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
Our aim wasn’t to saturate the film with gore, but to anchor it in a stark realism.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024
In the past decade, the word and the concept have come to saturate the public sphere.
—Leslie Jamison, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024
However, even when hair is dry and thick, experts advise washing at least twice a week to remove all the residues that can accumulate on the scalp, and that saturate and weaken the hair.
—Ana Morales, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2023
To use, spray directly on the stain and saturate well.
—Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2023
On the other hand, some things saturate at very low levels.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Apr. 2021
The additional showers will threaten to further saturate hillsides already thoroughly soaked after weeks of wet weather, and flooding is expected in low-lying roads and urban areas that have poor drainage.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2023
Verb
And in a market saturated with assembly line lunch places that are always busy, that will be a problem.
—Emilia David, The Verge, 18 Apr. 2024
An endless scroll of tailored content means that young minds are saturated, emerging studies show that those who use TikTok are more easily distracted and less able to focus on tasks.
—Howard Murphy, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2024
The system also could drop 0.30 inches of rain from the coast to inland valleys, further saturating areas prone to rock and mudslides.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024
Astronomers say that leading up to the eclipse, some colors in natural light may appear saturated, and shadows may start to look fuzzy.
—Caitlin Babcock, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Apr. 2024
Selecting a geographical location where the market is already saturated with similar offerings may not make commercial sense.
—Fiona Simpson, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
If used too long, the filter can become saturated with chemicals and not work as well.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024
Our aim wasn’t to saturate the film with gore, but to anchor it in a stark realism.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024
In the past decade, the word and the concept have come to saturate the public sphere.
—Leslie Jamison, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
Adjective
To give the vinegar a longer working time, saturate paper towels and press them against the glass like wallpaper.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024
However, even when hair is dry and thick, experts advise washing at least twice a week to remove all the residues that can accumulate on the scalp, and that saturate and weaken the hair.
—Ana Morales, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2023
To use, spray directly on the stain and saturate well.
—Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2023
On the other hand, some things saturate at very low levels.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Apr. 2021
The additional showers will threaten to further saturate hillsides already thoroughly soaked after weeks of wet weather, and flooding is expected in low-lying roads and urban areas that have poor drainage.
—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'saturate.' 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 saturate
Cite this Entry
“Saturate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saturate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
saturate
1 of 2 transitive verb
sat·u·rate
ˈsach-ə-ˌrāt
saturated; saturating
1
: to treat, furnish, or charge with something to the point where no more can be absorbed, dissolved, or retained
water saturated with salt
a bandage saturated with blood
2
: to cause to combine until there is no further tendency to combine
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