saturate

1 of 2

verb

sat·​u·​rate ˈsa-chə-ˌrāt How to pronounce saturate (audio)
saturated; saturating

transitive verb

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 HollywoodNewgate Callendar
b
: to load to capacity
4
: to cause to combine until there is no further tendency to combine
saturator noun

saturate

2 of 2

adjective

sat·​u·​rate ˈsach-rət How to pronounce saturate (audio)
ˈsa-chə-
Choose the Right Synonym for saturate

soak, saturate, drench, steep, impregnate mean to permeate or be permeated with a liquid.

soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.

soak the garment in soapy water

saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held.

a saturated sponge

drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured.

clothes drenched by a cloudburst

steep suggests either the extraction of an essence (as of tea leaves) by the liquid or the imparting of a quality (such as a color) to the thing immersed.

steep the tea for five minutes

impregnate implies a thorough interpenetration of one thing by another.

a cake strongly impregnated with brandy

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 Web
Verb
Hereditary, the tale of a demonic cult that infiltrates a family across generations, is saturated with both dread and disturbing imagery (much of it involving heads getting violently separated from their bodies). Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Another secret-sauce question: The collaboration ecosystem has been saturated for ages, but some collabs still break through and really resonate. Josh Condon, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2024 This last storm saturated the soil, which increased concerns for flooding and mudslides. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The McDonald’s Canada website lists the Double Big Mac at 740 calories; 44 grams of fat, 16 of which are saturated fat; and 48 grams of carbohydrates. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 Wicking occurs when urine or another stain saturates the carpet and sinks into the padding. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 Analysts say the current lag in electric vehicle sales is to be expected, as the market for early adopters — typically wealthier, coastal residents who have bought an E.V. as a second car — is saturated. Coral Davenport, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024 The sheriff's office did not say whether rainfall was a factor in the collapse of the hillside, but California has been battered by heavy rains this month that left ground saturated. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 Although the weather service reported that only about 2 inches of rain has fallen in the area during this storm, record-setting rainfall over the past several months has saturated the ground, causing the landslide area to shift more rapidly, according to City Manager Ara Mihranian. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 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.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin saturatus, past participle of saturare, from satur well-fed — more at satire

First Known Use

Verb

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of saturate was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near saturate

Cite this Entry

“Saturate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saturate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

saturate

verb
sat·​u·​rate
ˈsach-ə-ˌrāt
saturated; saturating
1
: to soak or fill with something to the point where no more can be absorbed or dissolved
saturate water with salt
2
: to fill completely with something that penetrates : steep

Medical Definition

saturate

1 of 2 transitive verb
sat·​u·​rate ˈsach-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce saturate (audio)
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

saturate

2 of 2 noun
sat·​u·​rate -rət How to pronounce saturate (audio)
: a saturated chemical compound

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