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English speakers borrowed pervade in the mid-17th century from Latin pervadere, meaning "to go through." Pervadere, in turn, was formed by combining the prefix per-, meaning "through," with the verb vadere, meaning "to go." Synonyms of pervade include permeate, impregnate, and saturate. Pervade stresses a spreading diffusion throughout every part of a whole ("art and music pervade every aspect of their lives"). Permeate implies diffusion specifically throughout a material thing ("the smell of freshly baked bread permeated the house"). Impregnate suggests a forceful influence or effect on something throughout ("impregnate the cotton with alcohol"). Saturate is used when nothing more may be taken up or absorbed ("the cloth is saturated with water").
Examples of pervade in a Sentence
Saher Alghorra, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Labor actions have swept through two of the busiest ports in Northern Europe, further compounding the congestion that has pervaded in the region throughout 2025.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
The pathos of being a veep pervades Kamala Harris’s campaign memoir 107 Days.
—Book Marks
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
Until very recently, people who have been pregnant or given birth kept the experience to themselves; a sense of secrecy or even shame pervaded the realities of welcoming a child.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pervade
Cite this Entry
“Pervade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pervade. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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