verb
seep
seep
verb
1
To flow or leak slowly through small openings or a porous surface.
"Water began to seep through the cracks in the ceiling."
"Doubt slowly seeped into her confidence."
noun
1
A place where liquid, such as water or oil, slowly oozes out of the ground.
"The hikers found a natural spring seep near the trail."
How to Use Seep
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo leak slowly, bit by bit, rather than pouring or gushing.
Common pairings
seep through
seep into
water seeps
Word Forms
seeped past tense, seeps plural, seeps singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “seep”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Water began to _____ through the cracks in the ceiling.
Etymology
A variant of the older English word sipe, from a Germanic root meaning "to drip or trickle" — related to the German word for tallow, sebum-like fats that slowly ooze.