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
Netflix’s domineering presence, one that permeated every corner of a typically sacred day at the ballpark, had mercifully evaporated.
—
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
PBHs have also been considered as a possible constituent of dark matter, the invisible matter permeating the universe that outweighs normal matter by a factor of about five.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2026
Understanding these building blocks is key to reconstructing how the universe evolved from the fiery hot plasma that permeated space after the Big Bang to the structured web of galaxies observed today.
—Mariangela Lisanti, Twin Cities, 27 Mar. 2026
Along with playing for a new coach — former Major League Soccer standout Chris Armas is leading an NWSL team for the first time — change permeates the roster.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
PBHs have also been considered as a possible constituent of dark matter, the invisible matter permeating the universe that outweighs normal matter by a factor of about five.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2026
Understanding these building blocks is key to reconstructing how the universe evolved from the fiery hot plasma that permeated space after the Big Bang to the structured web of galaxies observed today.
—Mariangela Lisanti, Twin Cities, 27 Mar. 2026
Along with playing for a new coach — former Major League Soccer standout Chris Armas is leading an NWSL team for the first time — change permeates the roster.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permeate
Cite this Entry
“Permeate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permeate. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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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