permeate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
permeates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
permeated,
past participle, past
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permeating
present participle
verb (used without object)
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permeates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
permeated,
past participle, past
-
permeating
present participle
verb
-
to penetrate or pervade (a substance, area, etc)
a lovely smell permeated the room
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to pass through or cause to pass through by osmosis or diffusion
to permeate a membrane
Usage
What does permeate mean? Permeate means to penetrate, pass through, and often become widespread throughout something. Similar words are pervade and saturate. Permeate can be used both in the context of the physical spread of something within a space and in more figurative ways. Dye permeates fabric. A smell can permeate a room. An idea can permeate someone’s mind. The adjective permeable means capable of being permeated, especially by liquids or gases, as in Permeable surfaces should be sealed to prevent leaks. The adjective permeating describes things that have permeated or have the ability to permeate, as in Social media has become a permeating aspect of our lives. Example: This material has a special coating that won’t allow anything to permeate its surface.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonpermeationnoun
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permeationnoun
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permeatornoun
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interpermeateverb (used with object)
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nonpermeativeadjective
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permeativeadjective
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unpermeatingadjective
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unpermeativeadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
permeatesimple
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permeatessimple
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have permeatedperfect
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has permeatedperfect
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am permeatingprogressive
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are permeatingprogressive
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is permeatingprogressive
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have been permeatingperfect progressive
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has been permeatingperfect progressive
Past
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permeatedsimple
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had permeatedperfect
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was permeatingprogressive
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were permeatingprogressive
-
had been permeatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of permeate
First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin permeātus, past participle of permeāre “to pass through”; see origin at per-, meatus
Explanation
When you live in a big city like New York, you know all too well how the smells of spices and cooking meats can permeate a hallway, easily passing through those thin apartment doors to make your mouth water. The verb permeate literally means to "pass through." It's often used to describe smells or liquids that not only pass through, but also spread to fill an entire area. When you bake cookies, you'll notice that the rich, sweet smell of those cookies isn't confined just to your oven — it permeates the entire kitchen and even the whole house. In science class, you might have learned about a permeable membrane — a thin material that is porous enough to let liquids or gases to pass through.
Vocabulary lists containing permeate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
I think this shift shows, first of all, how much culture really does permeate the Supreme Court.
From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026
"And in other ways, sometimes something can permeate that you really didn't expect."
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
“I think that’s the other component I failed to mention: My reach has been able to permeate the entire globe. Now I can bring that reach directly to the Sun Rose.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 7, 2026
From working out with a trainer to jogging with friends to setting a presentation date as a deadline, commitment devices permeate our lives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
The captain noticed for the first time that there were no windows; the light seemed to permeate the walls.
From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury
One theme that permeates all AI-generated regulatory proposals is that AI is unique, requiring a new regulatory scheme.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
It was all the more jarring because elsewhere Nordqvist had unmistakably fostered that famed European spirit which so often permeates through Solheim and Ryder Cup successes.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Why it’s worth seeing: The wacky inventiveness Wilson brought to his genius HBO show, “How to With John Wilson,” permeates the film.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
“I always say that the killer combination is investment and engagement, and so I’m seeing both at very high levels, and it permeates every aspect of the organization,” Ogwumike said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026
It permeates the world to a ridiculous degree.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
Fiona Donohoe added that "answers of 'I don't know' and 'I can't recall' permeated the evidence heard at the inquest".
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
"Social media has now permeated to the smallest towns in India, and has near ubiquity among young Indians," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
The Greenspan era saw incredible technological progress as the internet permeated ordinary life, much as artificial intelligence is doing now.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
In 2018, Christian themes and symbols again permeated their collection.
From Salon ● May 17, 2026
Now it seemed to sink into her skin as thoroughly as it had permeated the fisherman.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
Apple’s reach is permeating into the rest of the AI supply chain.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
The Fourth Amendment exists, she writes, to protect “the privacies of life” and to guard against “too permeating police surveillance.”
From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2026
Taylor Clemons’ cinematography is excellent, all slow creeping shots and shadows permeating even the daytime scenes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
“You’ve got this somewhat dystopian narrative permeating the psychology of the market” with respect to AI and jobs, asset-management firm’s CIO says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
The stench of human waste, urine, rotting wounds, and strong rubbing alcohol surrounds me, permeating my clothes, skin, and hair.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
