Synonym Chooser

How is the word impregnate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of impregnate are drench, saturate, soak, and steep. While all these words mean "to permeate or be permeated with a liquid," impregnate implies a thorough interpenetration of one thing by another.

a cake strongly impregnated with brandy

When could drench be used to replace impregnate?

While in some cases nearly identical to impregnate, drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured.

clothes drenched by a cloudburst

When might saturate be a better fit than impregnate?

The words saturate and impregnate can be used in similar contexts, but saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held.

a saturated sponge

Where would soak be a reasonable alternative to impregnate?

While the synonyms soak and impregnate are close in meaning, soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.

soak the garment in soapy water

In what contexts can steep take the place of impregnate?

In some situations, the words steep and impregnate are roughly equivalent. However, steep suggests either the extraction of an essence (as of tea leaves) by the liquid or the imparting of a quality (such as a color) to the thing immersed.

steep the tea for five minutes

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impregnate Continuous lamination creates thin or wide composite laminates by impregnating reinforcements with resin, pressing them into a lay-up, and curing them under heat and pressure. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 18 Feb. 2025 The fibers are aligned, impregnated, pulled into a heated die, and thermally set before being continuously pulled and cut to size. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 18 Feb. 2025 Gary Francis Day, 40, of Cabot, Arkansas, was charged Tuesday with two counts of child abduction and two counts of child enticement in connection to Franklin, who he is suspected of impregnating. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025 Listen to this article An Amber Alert has been issued for pregnant Wisconsin teen Sophia Franklin who is believed to be with the 40-year-old man who impregnated her. David Matthews, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impregnate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impregnate
Verb
  • Try a deep soaking tub with jets, a walk-in shower with custom shower head, sauna, high-tech toilet seat, or heated towel bars to make an ordinary bathroom feel luxurious.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2025
  • In the bedroom, guests will find a roaring fireplace, a soaking tub, and a rainfall shower, along with a wood-burning hot tub with a view of the verdant hillside on the terrace.
    Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Make sure each strand is fully saturated, then let the product sit for 40 to 60 minutes.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1944, Davis grew up in an environment saturated with both terror and resistance.
    Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • His playbook involves drowning rivals in legal fees.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Twin brothers died in a drowning incident while fishing in a Mississippi lake last week, officials said.
    Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Each room comes drenched in color and prints, from the wallpapered kitchen to the butter-yellow accent wall in one of the bedrooms.
    Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Through the rest of the week, rounds of shows and thunderstorms are expected to drench much of the Plains region from northern Texas and Oklahoma to Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, according to the Weather Prediction Center.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Hartford Courant Another option is to install an above-ground macerating toilet.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2025
  • The distillation involves macerating the botanicals and distilling them in small batches, ensuring the quality and consistency of each bottle.
    Rachel King, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Impregnate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impregnate. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on impregnate

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