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 bazaar has plenty of goods, and the smell of hyacinths, a traditional Nowruz flower, permeates the narrow alleys, a visceral reminder of springtime in the city.
—
Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
As the bombardments intensified and expanded to more neighborhoods, the question of whether to leave permeated every conversation that Hadi had with his friends.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 20 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, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza opened the door for the public expressions of antisemitism to enter the political mainstream and permeate the culture in ways that would have been disqualifiers just a few years ago.
—Nolan Finley, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
As the bombardments intensified and expanded to more neighborhoods, the question of whether to leave permeated every conversation that Hadi had with his friends.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 20 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, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza opened the door for the public expressions of antisemitism to enter the political mainstream and permeate the culture in ways that would have been disqualifiers just a few years ago.
—Nolan Finley, Boston Herald, 16 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 23 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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