- pervading or tending to pervade
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
per•va•sive /pɚˈveɪsɪv/USA pronunciation adj.
- tending to pervade:a pervasive sense of fear.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
pervasive /pɜːˈveɪsɪv/ adj
per•vade /pɚˈveɪd/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -vad•ed, -vad•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to become spread throughout all parts of:The smell of coffee pervaded the air.
per•vade
(pər vād′),USA pronunciation v.t., -vad•ed, -vad•ing.
per•vad′er, n.
per•vad′ing•ly, adv.
per•vad′ing•ness, n.
per•va•sion
(pər vā′zhən),USA pronunciation n.
per•va•sive
(pər vā′siv),USA pronunciation adj.
per•va′sive•ly, adv.
per•va′sive•ness, n.
- to become spread throughout all parts of:Spring pervaded the air.
- Latin pervādere to pass through, equivalent. to per- per- + vādere to go, walk
- 1645–55;
per•vad′ing•ly, adv.
per•vad′ing•ness, n.
per•va′sive•ness, n.
- diffuse, fill.
'pervasive' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
aroma
- atmosphere
- odour
- racism
- anxiety neurosis
- aura
- autism
- big brother
- glum
- mass movement
- pervade
- profound
- revolution
- widespread
- shadow