all-pervasive

adjective

all-per·​va·​sive ˈȯl-pər-ˈvā-siv How to pronounce all-pervasive (audio)
-ziv
Synonyms of all-pervasivenext
: spread throughout and affecting all parts of something
Still, he believes fear of lawsuits is all-pervasive in medicine and drives up health care costs.—Ridgely Ochs
all-pervasiveness noun

Examples of all-pervasive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Shankara advises that worshipping gods with names and stories through devotional rituals and sacred images (murtis) is an acceptable step for some people on the path toward a more philosophical understanding of an all-pervasive ultimate reality. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026 Scientists know that dark energy is an all-pervasive something that drives the universe’s accelerating expansion. — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026 Every member of the dominant culture is part of an all-pervasive racist tapestry that is woven into every aspect of American life. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 3 July 2025 The paradigm that the Pixel introduced was now all-pervasive. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025 Maybe, but Yellowstone is too valuable, and too all-pervasive, to end. — Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 16 Dec. 2024 There is no person, no moment, no experience, devoid of the all-pervasive oneness of the Ribbono shel Olam. — Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Jacobson, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2024 Inside the church the light filters through large tinted windows reflecting on a mirror in the center of the room, creating an all-pervasive golden hue. — Chiara Barzini, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2023 Get ready to savor the all-pervasive sense of wellbeing that using Medterra CBD oil produces. — Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-pervasive was in 1808

Rhymes for all-pervasive

See All Rhymes for all-pervasive

Browse Nearby Words

allozooid
all-pervasive
all-play-all
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All-pervasive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-pervasive. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on all-pervasive

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for all-pervasive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All