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
Revolutionaries often quoted Cato, which was performed regularly in the Colonies, and the juxtaposition of liberty and death seems to have permeated American culture.
—
Cassandra Good, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
That attitude of turning lemons into lemonade permeates the organization—and occasionally covers other kinds of fruit.
—Brett Knight, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Collagen is found in deeper layers, but collagen fibers are too large to permeate the outer skin layers, and peptides (shorter chains of collagen) are unsuccessful.2
Supplements
Oral collagen supplements may be sold as pills, powders, or certain foods.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
That equilibrium also permeates Barba Hopfner’s filmmaking ideas.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Cassandra Good, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
That attitude of turning lemons into lemonade permeates the organization—and occasionally covers other kinds of fruit.
—Brett Knight, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Collagen is found in deeper layers, but collagen fibers are too large to permeate the outer skin layers, and peptides (shorter chains of collagen) are unsuccessful.2
Supplements
Oral collagen supplements may be sold as pills, powders, or certain foods.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
That equilibrium also permeates Barba Hopfner’s filmmaking ideas.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 14 Mar. 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 26 Mar. 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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