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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
Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
There’s a clunkiness that pervades the entire enterprise.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Where campsites on Angel Island offered extensive panoramic views of the East Bay, China Camp visitors sleep among tall trees that see evening mists pervade the night as turkeys and deer wander through the area.
—Don Sproul, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
Long before its history of spying on students became widely known, the ADL’s weaponization of victimhood had already pervaded our public schools.
—Sahar Mustafah
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 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 19 Sep. 2025.
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