SINCE 1828
seep
verb
\ ˈsēp
\
\
seeped;
seeping;
seeps
Definition of seep
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to flow or pass slowly through fine pores or small openings : ooze
water seeped in through a crack
2a
: to enter or penetrate slowly
fear of nuclear war had seeped into the national consciousness— Tip O'Neill
b
: to become diffused or spread
a sadness seeped through his being— Agnes S. Turnbull
seep
nounDefinition of seep (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: a spot where a fluid (such as water, oil, or gas) contained in the ground oozes slowly to the surface and often forms a pool
b
: a small spring
2
: seepage
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Other Words from seep
Noun
seepy
\ ˈsē-pē
\
adjective
\
adjective
Synonyms for seep
Synonyms: Verb
bleed, exude, ooze, percolate, strain, sweat, transude, weep
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Examples of seep in a Sentence
Verb
Blood was seeping through the bandage. The chemicals seeped into the ground.Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Washington’s mid-20th-century color painters were known for the flatness of their images, made with diluted pigment that seeped into the canvas. — Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, "In the galleries: Pulsating dramas of light and sound," 12 July 2019 There was more happening around the periphery of the club that seeped into the conversations of the day-to-day. — Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, "All that travel was a prominent player in Red Sox’ ‘stop and go’ start," 12 July 2019 Her achievement here is not to reinvent the coming-of-age narrative so much as recontextualize it, refusing the temptations of solipsism that can sometimes seep into cruel stories of youth. — Justin Chang, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: Moving ‘Too Late to Die Young’ opens a window on a lost Chilean summer," 13 June 2019 Blood can then seep out of the blood vessels and pool under the skin or even in the brain. — Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, "More dogs are getting sick as climate changes pushes diseases into new parts of the US," 15 June 2019 The company issued a voluntary recall of approximately 540 E-Tron SUV models sold in the U.S. because of a risk that moisture can seep into the battery cell through a wiring harness glitch, spokesman Mark Dahncke said. — Gabrielle Coppola, Fortune, "Audi Recalls Its First Electric Car for Battery Fire Risk," 10 June 2019 The company issued a voluntary recall of approximately 540 E-Tron SUV models sold in the United States because of a risk that moisture can seep into the battery cell through a wiring harness glitch, spokesman Mark Dahncke said. — Washington Post, "American delays return of 737 Max jets," 10 June 2019 Experts now know that toxic chemicals from weed and insect killers can seep into the soil, drift in the air, and collect in streams and rivers — to the detriment of plants, animals, and people nearby. — Erin Quinn-kong, Woman's Day, "Are Your Fast-Fashion Clothes Killing Farmers?," 14 Feb. 2019 And that relentless focus on food and bodies can seep into your own psyche, leading to unhealthy fixations. — Kimberly Truong, SELF, "8 Signs It’s Time to See a Therapist About Your Relationship With Food," 29 Jan. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
What little remains of the life-giving liquid trickles from salty seasonal seeps, languishes in pockets as underground lakes, or sits frozen in sheets of ice. — National Geographic, "Rivers may have flowed on Mars for longer than anyone realized," 27 Mar. 2019 The precious presence of water is a fickle one, requiring a micro-filtration device to eek out ounces rather than gallons from seeps and springs often frequented by wildlife. — Peter Reese, Popular Mechanics, "4 Reasons Why You Need To Hike the Sonoran Desert," 2 May 2018 Protections also were added for methane seeps, undersea areas where the gas leaking out of the ocean bottom helps sustain sea life. — Hal Bernton, The Seattle Times, "Conservationists, West Coast bottom fishermen embrace ‘grand bargain’," 16 Apr. 2018 Duke also agrees to pay an $84,000 fine for leaking polluted water from the ponds into the Catawba and Broad rivers. Draining the ponds is expected to eliminate or reduce those leaks, which are called seeps. — Bruce Henderson And Deon Roberts, charlotteobserver, "Want to help speed up coal ash cleanup near Charlotte? Here’s how.," 9 Jan. 2018 Okoronkwo let his frustration with football seep into his schoolwork. — Bruce Feldman, SI.com, "The Unlikely Rise of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Oklahoma's Defensive MVP," 27 Dec. 2017 Detailing their results in the journal Environmental Health, researchers explain the chemical exposure came from the bitumen, which washes up to the Channel Islands from underwater seeps. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Drinking From Ancient Water Bottles Didn’t Hurt Indigenous People—Making Them Did," 29 June 2017 Detailing their results in the journal Environmental Health, researchers explain the chemical exposure came from the bitumen, which washes up to the Channel Islands from underwater seeps. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Drinking From Ancient Water Bottles Didn’t Hurt Indigenous People—Making Them Did," 29 June 2017 The Inupiat showed their visitors how wedges of tundra soaked with oil from seeps could be cut, hauled back to villages, and used as fuel. — Tim Bradner, Alaska Dispatch News, "There’s rich history in Native corporation’s bid to become an oil company," 12 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'seep.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for seep
seep
verb
English Language Learners Definition of seep
: to flow or pass slowly through small openings in something
See the full definition for seep in the English Language Learners Dictionary
seep
verb
\ ˈsēp
\
\
seeped;
seeping
Kids Definition of seep
: to flow slowly through small openings
Water seeped into the basement.
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