saturate 1 of 2

verb

ˈsa-chə-ˌrāt How to pronounce saturate (audio)
Definition of saturatenext
as in to soak
to wet thoroughly with liquid saturate your hair with water before applying the dye

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

saturate

2 of 2

adjective

ˈsach-rət How to pronounce saturate (audio)
as in saturated
containing, covered with, or thoroughly penetrated by water the test will only work if the sample cloth is saturate with solution

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of saturate are drench, impregnate, soak, and steep. While all these words mean "to permeate or be permeated with a liquid," saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held.

a saturated sponge

In what contexts can drench take the place of saturate?

In some situations, the words drench and saturate are roughly equivalent. However, drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured.

clothes drenched by a cloudburst

When could impregnate be used to replace saturate?

While the synonyms impregnate and saturate are close in meaning, impregnate implies a thorough interpenetration of one thing by another.

a cake strongly impregnated with brandy

Where would soak be a reasonable alternative to saturate?

Although the words soak and saturate have much in common, soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.

soak the garment in soapy water

When would steep be a good substitute for saturate?

While in some cases nearly identical to saturate, 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 saturate
Verb
Cut the grass short, water to saturate the soil, then cover with clear (not black) plastic. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025 One nearby property owner spoke against the project, saying that the market has become saturated with townhomes and those sitting unsold on the market show the area does not need more. —Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
Adjective
Chief among them are efforts to train crews to identify and treat an overdose and a push to saturate fleets with naloxone, the opioid antagonist, commonly administered as a nasal spray under the trade name Narcan, that can reverse overdoses and retrieve a fading patient from a mortal slide. —C.j. Chivers James Patrick Cronin Elena Hecht Anna Diamond Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 6 June 2024 To give the vinegar a longer working time, saturate paper towels and press them against the glass like wallpaper. —Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for saturate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saturate
  1. soak
  2. saturated
  3. drown
  4. drench
  5. impregnate
  6. immerse
Verb
  • Valenzuela adds that watering in the morning ensures there's sufficient time for the water to soak deep into the soil before the heat of the day.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 10 July 2025
  • The colorful upper is breathable and moisture-wicking to keep your feet from getting sweaty or soaked by rain.
    — Clint Davis, People.com, 10 July 2025
Definition of soak
Adjective
  • While this rainfall is not expected to be as extreme as last weekend, the threshold for flash flooding to develop is lower due to the ground being very saturated from recent heavy rain in the region.
    — Dan Peck, ABC News, 12 July 2025
  • The saturated ground means even minimal rainfall can trigger further flooding, complicating rescue efforts.
    — Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
Definition of saturated
Verb
  • In 2024, 34 kids with autism drowned in Florida — half of the national total.
    — Karen Cohn, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 July 2025
  • Flash floods drowned portions of the state's Hill Country on the Fourth of July, spurred by nearly unprecedented rainfall that swelled the Guadalupe River.
    — Becca Longmire, People.com, 7 July 2025
Definition of drown
Verb
  • And Chicago might get drenched again on Sunday, if those forecasts are correct.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 July 2025
  • She was drenched in sweat and foaming at the mouth.
    — Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 3 July 2025
Definition of drench
Verb
  • The father had reportedly impregnated his daughter in the past, according to the serious incident report.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 2 June 2025
  • The 14-year-old was raped and… impregnated, and the sponsor ultimately was arrested.
    — Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
Definition of impregnate
Verb
  • The upper deck, styled in the same vein as a fluid, open-air veranda, features full-height windows that open on three sides, immersing the ship in its surrounding marine landscape.
    — India Brown, Robb Report, 3 July 2025
  • It's been 23 years since the first Battlefield game, and the video game industry is nearly unrecognizable to anyone who was immersed in it then.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2025
Definition of immerse

Browse Nearby Words

sat tight
saturate
saturated
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Cite this Entry

“Saturate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saturate. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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