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
Baldor feels the timing is ideal for a show of this scope, especially as immigration permeates every part of our culture, from Congress to the Super Bowl.
—
Kendall Morgan, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
This behavior is permeating state government and is causing people to lose trust and faith in their state government, in their leaders, in their courts, in the lawmakers, across the board.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
Licensing for movies and TV is also booming, and with Y2K nostalgia permeating today’s media, Spears may be selling at an opportune time.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
That kind of raw honesty permeates the music.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Kendall Morgan, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
This behavior is permeating state government and is causing people to lose trust and faith in their state government, in their leaders, in their courts, in the lawmakers, across the board.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
Licensing for movies and TV is also booming, and with Y2K nostalgia permeating today’s media, Spears may be selling at an opportune time.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
That kind of raw honesty permeates the music.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for permeate
Cite this Entry
“Permeate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permeate. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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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