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English speakers borrowed pervade in the mid-17th century from Latin pervadere, meaning "to go through." Pervadere, in turn, was formed by combining the prefix per-, meaning "through," with the verb vadere, meaning "to go." Synonyms of pervade include permeate, impregnate, and saturate. Pervade stresses a spreading diffusion throughout every part of a whole ("art and music pervade every aspect of their lives"). Permeate implies diffusion specifically throughout a material thing ("the smell of freshly baked bread permeated the house"). Impregnate suggests a forceful influence or effect on something throughout ("impregnate the cotton with alcohol"). Saturate is used when nothing more may be taken up or absorbed ("the cloth is saturated with water").
Synonyms
Examples of pervade in a Sentence
Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 16 Dec. 2024
By itself, the manifesto was little more than a restatement of the libertarian ethos that has long pervaded some corners of Silicon Valley.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2024
These experiences serve as painful reminders of systemic issues still pervading corporate America.
—Dr. Vic Baker, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
There were no signs of competition for influence between China and the United States; Chinese influence alone pervaded people’s daily lives.
—Lynn Kuok, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Pervade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pervade. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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