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
Instead of a blazing back alley permeated with the stench of garbage and plagued by rats, residents find a lush and usable green space, cooled by the shade of tall perimeter buildings and by heat-absorbing vegetation.
—
Alicia Pederson, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
The #MeToo movement, in particular, has laid bare the culture of coercion and abuse that permeates every institution and created space for women to feel supported by online communities.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2025
Financial services firms are re-architecting leadership teams to ensure tech understanding permeates every function.
—Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Indeed, the commercialization of hip-hop was already in full swing in the first half of the ’90s, with rappers proving to be worthy rivals to pop acts on the charts and permeating other areas of pop culture.
—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Alicia Pederson, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
The #MeToo movement, in particular, has laid bare the culture of coercion and abuse that permeates every institution and created space for women to feel supported by online communities.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2025
Financial services firms are re-architecting leadership teams to ensure tech understanding permeates every function.
—Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Indeed, the commercialization of hip-hop was already in full swing in the first half of the ’90s, with rappers proving to be worthy rivals to pop acts on the charts and permeating other areas of pop culture.
—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 12 May 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 25 May. 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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