permeate

verb

ˈpər-mē-ˌāt How to pronounce permeate (audio)
Definition of permeatenext
as in to penetrate
to spread throughout the smell of freshly baked bread permeated the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of permeate But translating that club success to something that permeates into the fabric of the sport back home requires a bigger moment — or movement. — Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 5 July 2026 Whatever juju, imagined or self-made, permeating throughout the Braves’ roster over the last few weeks was exorcised Wednesday. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 2 July 2026 Lineage officials said that their top priority as of Monday night was addressing the stench permeating over Boyle Heights due to the spoiled food. — Austin Turner, CBS News, 29 June 2026 Water will permeate the wood, causing the fibers to swell and warp. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for permeate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permeate
  1. penetrate
  2. suffuse
  3. pervade
Verb
  • Neumann said Netflix still has significant room to grow, noting the company has penetrated less than 45% of its roughly 800 million addressable households worldwide and accounts for only about 5% of global TV viewing.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 17 July 2026
  • Smoke from wildfires is made of water vapor, pollutants and particulate matter, which can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream, trigger systemic inflammation, exacerbate conditions like asthma and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
    — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of penetrate
Verb
  • Good binoculars will reveal a score of stars in this little group, while long-exposure observatory photographs show about 1000 in the area — all suffused in great clouds and streamers of nebulous light.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 10 July 2026
  • Lyrically, these 10 songs are suffused with a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia for early adulthood, as heard on the album’s title track.
    — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2026
Definition of suffuse
Verb
  • Fear over airstrikes on Iran, which pervaded many conversations with locals during the war, has evaporated.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • Excellence in sport is merely a glimpse into the resolve, grit, and talent pervading communities across the continent.
    — Jeremy Ebobisse, Time, 26 June 2026
Definition of pervade

Browse Nearby Words

permeable
permeate
permeated
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Cite this Entry

“Permeate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permeate. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on permeate

Nglish: Translation of permeate for Spanish Speakers

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