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
Devices have permeated all aspects of sleep, Paruthi said.
—
Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
Top-of-the-line technology has permeated every aspect of our lives, fashion choices included.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Music fans are still mourning the death of legendary singer D’Angelo and lauding how the vastness of his musical experiences, from gospel to funk to soul, permeates his catalog.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Gauthier Borsarello, fashion director of the French menswear magazine L’Ettiquetteand creative director of the menswear brand Fursac, traces French prep’s origins back to the end of the Second World War, when American pop culture first began to permeate France via music and films.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
Top-of-the-line technology has permeated every aspect of our lives, fashion choices included.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Music fans are still mourning the death of legendary singer D’Angelo and lauding how the vastness of his musical experiences, from gospel to funk to soul, permeates his catalog.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Gauthier Borsarello, fashion director of the French menswear magazine L’Ettiquetteand creative director of the menswear brand Fursac, traces French prep’s origins back to the end of the Second World War, when American pop culture first began to permeate France via music and films.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 22 Oct. 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 31 Oct. 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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