adjective
pervasive
puh-VAY-sihv
adjective
1
Present or spreading throughout something; affecting every part of it.
"A pervasive smell of smoke hung over the whole building."
"Pervasive doubt about the economy kept investors on edge."
How to Use Pervasive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSpread through and through — showing up everywhere in something.
Common pairings
pervasive influence
pervasive sense of
deeply pervasive
Word Forms
more pervasive comparative, most pervasive superlative
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A _____ smell of smoke hung over the whole building.
Etymology
From Latin pervasus, past participle of pervadere ("to spread through"), from per- ("through") + vadere ("to go, walk").