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
But in his 20 years coming back to this tournament, Rose’s chances to go on and convert for a win haven’t had an energy quite like the one that permeated the property Thursday afternoon.
—
Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
The leaves of others on the list, such as creeping thyme and creeping rosemary, are infused with a scent that permeates the garden over the entire season.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025
And the deep sadness that permeates the entire show stubbornly remains.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 7 Apr. 2025
Much of the neutral hydrogen fog that permeated the early universe dissipated during a time called the epoch of reionization.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for permeate
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Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
The leaves of others on the list, such as creeping thyme and creeping rosemary, are infused with a scent that permeates the garden over the entire season.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025
And the deep sadness that permeates the entire show stubbornly remains.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 7 Apr. 2025
Much of the neutral hydrogen fog that permeated the early universe dissipated during a time called the epoch of reionization.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 27 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 17 Apr. 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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