permeate
verb
per·me·ate
ˈpər-mē-ˌāt 
permeated; permeating
: to diffuse through or penetrate something
1
: to spread or diffuse through
a room permeated with tobacco smoke
2
: to pass through the pores or interstices of
Did you know?
Permeate was borrowed into English in the 17th century from Latin permeatus, which comes from the prefix per- ("through") and the verb meare, meaning "to go" or "to pass." Meare hasn't exactly permeated English. Aside from permeate itself, its other English descendants include the relatively common permeable as well as the medical meatus ("a natural body passage") and the downright rare irremeable ("offering no possibility of return").
Examples of permeate in a Sentence
The water permeated the sand.
The smell of baking bread permeated the kitchen.
A feeling of anxiety permeated the office as we rushed to meet the deadline.
The rain permeated through the soil.
Recent Examples on the Web
The visuals are pleasant and colorful, the gameplay and design are unsurprisingly polished and a bubbling sense of adventure permeates every pixel.
—
Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Elsewhere, though, anxiety permeates the dilapidated bars, karaoke clubs, and music halls into which Jia pokes his camera.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 2 May 2025
That same big-sister energy permeates everything Handler does, from her bestselling books to her latest comedy specials.
—Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 2 May 2025
In that sense, Green Day has always been an overtly political act, one whose message has consistently permeated pop culture with explicit rallying cries and critiques that influenced countless musicians in the years that followed.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Elsewhere, though, anxiety permeates the dilapidated bars, karaoke clubs, and music halls into which Jia pokes his camera.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 2 May 2025
That same big-sister energy permeates everything Handler does, from her bestselling books to her latest comedy specials.
—Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 2 May 2025
In that sense, Green Day has always been an overtly political act, one whose message has consistently permeated pop culture with explicit rallying cries and critiques that influenced countless musicians in the years that followed.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
Cite this Entry
“Permeate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permeate. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
permeate
verb
per·me·ate
ˈpər-mē-ˌāt
permeated; permeating
1
: to spread throughout
a room permeated with the scent of flowers
2
: to pass through something which has pores or small openings or is of loose texture : seep through
water permeates sand
permeation
noun
ˌpər-mē-ˈā-shən
Medical Definition
permeate
verb
per·me·ate
ˈpər-mē-ˌāt
permeated; permeating
: to diffuse through or penetrate something
: to pass through the pores or interstices of
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