as in to drip
to flow forth slowly through small openings
water percolating through the coffee filter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to penetrate
to spread throughout
the closing shot of the film is one of those iconic images that has long since percolated into the cultural consciousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of percolate
Sean Gregory, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
The thing is, how do these things percolate three, four generations later?
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Andrea Swensson’s research on the Mines provides a picture of the percolating Black music scene in the mid-to-late 1960s, the years Prince was coming of age.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Beyond rumors of which celebrity might be using it, however, there’s a question percolating about whether the GLP-1 medications might have a bonus application.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for percolate
Verb
On the eve of the opening ceremonies of the Milano Cortina Olympics, one of those irresistibly viral stories started percolating around the internet.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
The thing is, how do these things percolate three, four generations later?
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Andrea Swensson’s research on the Mines provides a picture of the percolating Black music scene in the mid-to-late 1960s, the years Prince was coming of age.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Beyond rumors of which celebrity might be using it, however, there’s a question percolating about whether the GLP-1 medications might have a bonus application.
—Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for percolate
Cite this Entry
“Percolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/percolate. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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