Definition

1. Verb:
   • To fill something completely so that no more can be added or absorbed: To cause a substance to absorb or hold as much of another substance as possible.
   • To soak thoroughly: To make something very wet.
   • To bombard or fill an area or market to full capacity: To supply or expose to something in excessive amounts.

Usage

• As a transitive verb: It requires a direct object. You saturate .
  • The heavy rain will saturate the ground.
  • The company aims to saturate the market with its new product.
• In chemistry: Describes a solution that contains the maximum possible amount of a dissolved substance.
  • Continue adding salt to the water until you saturate the solution.

Examples

• General Usage:
  • The artist used a brush to saturate the canvas with vibrant blue paint.
  • During the campaign, they tried to saturate the airwaves with their advertisements.
• Scientific/Technical Usage:
  • To clean it, saturate the sponge with the cleaning fluid.
  • A solution is said to be saturated when no more solute can be dissolved in it.

Advanced Usage

• "Saturated" (Adjective): The common adjectival form.
  • The report was saturated with technical jargon, making it hard to understand.
  • Avoid eating too many foods high in saturated fats.
• In Marketing/Business:
  • Refers to a point where a market can no longer absorb new products or advertisements.
  • The smartphone market in this region is nearly saturated; growth is slowing.

Variants and Related Words

• Saturation (n): The state or process of being saturated.
  • The saturation of the soil caused flooding.
  • The saturation of colors in the photo was adjusted digitally.
• Supersaturate (v): To add more of a substance than is normally possible, creating an unstable solution.
• Unsaturated (adj): Not saturated; capable of dissolving or absorbing more of something.

Synonyms

• Soak: To make something very wet.
• Imbue: To inspire or permeate with a feeling or quality.
• Permeate: To spread throughout.
• Drench: To wet thoroughly.
• Flood: To fill or overwhelm.

Phrasal Verbs / Common Combinations

• Saturate with: This is the most common prepositional use.
  • The media coverage was saturated with speculation about the event.
  • She saturated the cloth with bleach.

Related Idioms

• "Saturated market": A market where there is no room for new demand.
  • Entering the saturated market for ride-sharing apps is very challenging.

Verb

1. infuse or fill completely
   • Impregnate the cloth with alcohol
2. cause (a chemical compound, vapour, solution, magnetic material) to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance