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
Songs from The Avett Brothers’ catalog permeate the nearly 90-minute one-act show, which has a run-time decidedly on the short end for productions of its ilk.
—
Adam Bell, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
This ruthless cartel is intent on cashing in, permeating our communities with their poison, with no regard to human suffering.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
Although heavy themes permeate the novel, the multiple POVs make for a read that’s incredibly fun and funny.
—Lauren Morrow
september 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
There are so many more, and the latest filmmaker to make her mark with this kind of structure is Alice Winocour, who has brought together three very different women to the annual Paris Fashion Week, exploring themes of people uniting to repair and resolve issues permeating their lives.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Adam Bell, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
This ruthless cartel is intent on cashing in, permeating our communities with their poison, with no regard to human suffering.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
Although heavy themes permeate the novel, the multiple POVs make for a read that’s incredibly fun and funny.
—Lauren Morrow
september 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
There are so many more, and the latest filmmaker to make her mark with this kind of structure is Alice Winocour, who has brought together three very different women to the annual Paris Fashion Week, exploring themes of people uniting to repair and resolve issues permeating their lives.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 7 Sep. 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 15 Sep. 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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