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
His observations are rooted in the Christian traditions that permeate the Black American south where he was raised.
—
Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2025
The killing sparked months of protests in Louisville that fit into the broader racial justice movement that permeated the country in the wake of the 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Aug. 2025
Lubin reveals that behind the scenes, that nagging uneasiness that can permeate Hollywood was front and center in the lives of Sunset Boulevard’s creative team.
—Scott Huver, People.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Electric cars aside, being there felt like stepping back in time to one of the drive-ins that permeated Southern California in the 1950s and ’60s.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2025
The killing sparked months of protests in Louisville that fit into the broader racial justice movement that permeated the country in the wake of the 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Aug. 2025
Lubin reveals that behind the scenes, that nagging uneasiness that can permeate Hollywood was front and center in the lives of Sunset Boulevard’s creative team.
—Scott Huver, People.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Electric cars aside, being there felt like stepping back in time to one of the drive-ins that permeated Southern California in the 1950s and ’60s.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 31 July 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 21 Aug. 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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