saturated
Americanadjective
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soaked, impregnated, or imbued thoroughly; charged thoroughly or completely; brought to a state of saturation.
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(of colors) of maximum chroma or purity; of the highest intensity of hue; free from admixture of white.
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Chemistry.
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(of a solution) containing the maximum amount of solute capable of being dissolved under given conditions.
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(of an organic compound) containing no double or triple bonds; having each single bond attached to an atom or group.
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(of an inorganic compound) having no free valence electrons.
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adjective
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(of a solution or solvent) containing the maximum amount of solute that can normally be dissolved at a given temperature and pressure See also supersaturated
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(of a colour) having a large degree of saturation
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containing no multiple bonds and thus being incapable of undergoing additional reactions
a saturated hydrocarbon
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containing no unpaired valence electrons
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(of a fat, esp an animal fat) containing a high proportion of fatty acids having single bonds See also polyunsaturated unsaturated
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(of a vapour) containing the equilibrium amount of gaseous material at a given temperature and pressure See also supersaturated
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(of a magnetic material) fully magnetized
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extremely wet; soaked
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Relating to an organic compound in which all the carbon atoms are joined by single bonds and therefore cannot be combined with any additional atoms or radicals. Propane and cyclopentane are examples of saturated hydrocarbons.
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Compare unsaturated
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Relating to a solution that is unable to dissolve more of a solute.
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Containing as much water vapor as is possible at a given temperature. Air that is saturated has a relative humidity of 100 percent.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of saturated
Explanation
Saturated means drenched and full. When you fish out a slice of bread that’s fallen into your water glass and find it’s disgustingly spongy and waterlogged, it’s saturated. Saturated originally meant “satisfied," but by the 1700s it could mean “soaked thoroughly.” In the twentieth century it developed marketing connotations, as in a saturated market — one without room for competition. In chemistry, saturated refers to an organic compound, like a fatty acid, that contains the highest number of hydrogen atoms possible. When it comes to color, saturated means pure, or undiluted with white, grey, or black.
Vocabulary lists containing saturated
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
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Boy: Tales of Childhood
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Teeming Terms: Synonyms for "Full"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It contends that contemporary culture is overly saturated with collapse, dystopia and fear.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
After all, wasn’t American life saturated with rich men who seemed to get richer without doing any real work?
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
Previously, Zscaler pursued a strategy of “opportunity-based selling” focused on finding new customers to buy its products, an approach that proved challenging as the market became more saturated.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
The island nation's cuisine predominantly consists of fish, vegetables, and rice - and less saturated fat than many Western diets.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
It fell on ground already saturated, and it filled every dip in every path.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
