# seep

/ˈsip/ (US) · /sˈiːp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/seep
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 3. to gradually disappear

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to slowly go away or decrease.

For teachers: to diminish, wane, or drain away slowly and almost imperceptibly.

- As the sun went down, the warmth seeped away from the desert air.
- He felt his confidence seep away as the interviewer continued to ask increasingly technical questions he could not answer.

### 4. a place where liquid leaks

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a small spot where water or oil comes out of the ground slowly.

For teachers: a spot where liquid, such as water or petroleum, oozes to the surface from underground.

- Geologists discovered a natural oil seep near the edge of the cliff.
- The deep-sea expedition identified several methane seeps on the ocean floor that supported a unique ecosystem of organisms.

## Examples

- Sunlight begins to seep through the curtains in the morning.
- Water started to seep into the basement after the heavy rain caused the ground to become saturated.
- The scent of the fresh coffee began to seep through the apartment, waking the neighbors who had been sleeping through the early morning hours.

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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.