# saturation

/ˌsætʃɝˈeɪʃən/ (US) · /sˌætʃəɹˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/saturation
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 2. colour intensity

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

how vivid or intense a colour is.

For teachers: the intensity or purity of a colour; the degree to which a hue differs from white.

- You can increase the saturation on your TV to make the colours look brighter.
- The photographer adjusted the saturation in post-processing to emphasize the deep reds of the desert sunset without distorting the natural skin tones.

### 3. chemical concentration

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the point where a liquid has dissolved as much of a substance as it possibly can.

For teachers: the state of a solution when it contains the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved at a given temperature.

- The sugar stopped dissolving in the tea once it reached saturation.
- In the laboratory, students observed how the salt crystals began to precipitate once the solution surpassed the point of saturation.

### 4. market supply

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

when a market is so full of a product that no more can be sold.

For teachers: a situation in which the volume of a product or service in a marketplace has been maximized.

- The smartphone market has reached saturation because almost everyone already owns one.
- Economists argue that the rapid saturation of the domestic automobile market will force manufacturers to seek growth in emerging overseas territories.

### 5. audio distortion

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of warm, fuzzy sound effect used in music, especially with electric guitars.

For teachers: a form of soft-clipping distortion that occurs when an audio signal exceeds the maximum capacity of a device, often adding harmonic richness.

- The guitarist used a pedal to add some saturation to his solo.
- The producer applied a subtle layer of tape saturation to the vocal track to give it a vintage, analog warmth that digital recordings often lack.

## Examples

- The artist increased the saturation to make the red flowers pop.
- After hours of heavy rain, the soil reached full saturation and could no longer absorb any water.
- Market saturation occurs when a product has been diffused so widely within a customer base that further sales growth is only possible through replacement or population increases.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.