as in to penetrate
to spread throughout
the smell of freshly baked bread permeated the house
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Recent Examples of permeate
The majority of a tree’s roots grow horizontally in the top 4-15 inches of the soil to capture oxygen, which permeates from the surface of the soil.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
It was popularised by British tabloid press when referring to the partners of soccer players in the early 2000s, but has since permeated into American sports, including the NBA and NFL.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 10 July 2025
An instant later, six-foot-tall flames burst upward in blazing pillars, followed by an intoxicating waft of garlic, lemon and herbs that permeated the air over a crowd of awed onlookers.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 25 July 2025
Known as the cosmic microwave background, or CMB, that radiation is a diffuse light that permeates all of space.
—Nadia Drake, Scientific American, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
It was popularised by British tabloid press when referring to the partners of soccer players in the early 2000s, but has since permeated into American sports, including the NBA and NFL.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 10 July 2025
An instant later, six-foot-tall flames burst upward in blazing pillars, followed by an intoxicating waft of garlic, lemon and herbs that permeated the air over a crowd of awed onlookers.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 25 July 2025
Known as the cosmic microwave background, or CMB, that radiation is a diffuse light that permeates all of space.
—Nadia Drake, Scientific American, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for permeate
Verb
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Larger particles create spaces for water to move through and oxygen to penetrate.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Aug. 2025
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The lightweight, noncomedogenic formula features a low dose of salicylic acid and lipo-hydroxy acids, which work together to penetrate breakouts, refine large pores, and increase skin cell turnover.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
Glamour,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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An international cult favorite, Lee is revered for the philosophical nerve that suffuses his rigorously inventive melodramas, which variously pick apart the complexities of Korean society.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Aug. 2025
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Advertisement The answering note to its prevailing ironic treatment of Sir Walter is of course the melancholy and hint of regret that suffuse much of the novel’s tone.—
Brandon Taylor,
Time,
17 July 2025
Verb
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In the late 1990s into 2000, longtime local corporate titans like Amoco, Ameritech, Quaker Oats and Waste Management were gobbled in the merger mania that pervaded.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
15 July 2025
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Decked out in pastels and steeped in easy glamour, here you’re expected to follow traditions like afternoon tea and dress codes, while being encouraged to enjoy the deep sense of relaxation that pervades the resort.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Permeate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/permeate. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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