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V2 Vocabulary Building Dictionary


permeate

verb

Definition: 1. to completely spread throughout something; 2. to pass through

Synonyms: pervade, saturate, penetrate, infuse, diffuse, suffuse, seep, imbue, drench, soak, invade, flood

Antonyms: empty, leak

Tips: Permeate is formed from the Latin per, "through" and meare, "pass." Think pass through and spread out. This is also the root of the word permeable, which means "porous," or "allowing to pass through." Think of a liquid saturating a sponge--the liquid permeates the permeable sponge. Permeate is often used to describe smells passing through a room.

Usage Examples:

I love opening the windows in spring and letting the fresh smell of the outdoors permeate the house. (pervade, saturate)

Once the announcement was made, the news quickly permeated the office. (flooded, pervaded)

The red wine quickly permeated the carpet fibers, and I knew the stain would be impossible to get out. (saturated, soaked, penetrated)

We applied a special sealant on our deck to prevent the rain from permeating the wood and damaging it. (penetrating, drenching)


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