seeped; seeping; seeps
1
: to flow or pass slowly through fine pores or small openings : ooze
water seeped in through a crack
2
a
: to enter or penetrate slowly
fear of nuclear war had seeped into the national consciousness—
Tip O'Neill
Tip O'Neill
b
: to become diffused or spread
a sadness seeped through his being—Agnes S. Turnbull
Agnes S. Turnbull1
a
: 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
Examples of seep in a Sentence
Verb
Blood was seeping through the bandage.
The chemicals seeped into the ground.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2025
Signs Your Child May Be Influenced This hypermasculine ideal has seeped into our mainstream culture to the point that muscle building goals are common among boys.
—Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
The bacteria convert methane and hydrogen sulfide from cold seeps — cracks in the seafloor that leak these compounds as fluids — into energy and food that the host animal can use, allowing organisms to livein zero-sunlight conditions.
—Marlowe Starling, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seep
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Verb
Water can then seep into the wood itself and cause swelling, while strong cleaners can strip the finish, leaving the wood more susceptible to damage.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2025
Signs Your Child May Be Influenced This hypermasculine ideal has seeped into our mainstream culture to the point that muscle building goals are common among boys.
—Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
Such communities can be found in deep sea habitats where chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide and methane seep from the sea floor, according to the study.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
The bacteria convert methane and hydrogen sulfide from cold seeps — cracks in the seafloor that leak these compounds as fluids — into energy and food that the host animal can use, allowing organisms to livein zero-sunlight conditions.
—Marlowe Starling, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for seep
Cite this Entry
“Seep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seep. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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