interpenetrate

[in-ter-pen-i-treyt]

verb (used with object)

interpenetrated, interpenetrating 

1. to penetrate thoroughly; permeate.

2. to penetrate with (something else) mutually or reciprocally.

verb (used without object)

interpenetrated, interpenetrating 

1. to penetrate between things or parts.

2. to penetrate each other.

interpenetrate

/ ˌɪntəˈpɛnɪˌtreɪt /

verb

1. to penetrate (something) thoroughly; pervade

2. to penetrate each other or one another mutually

Other Word Forms

• interpenetrable adjective
• interpenetrant adjective
• interpenetration noun
• interpenetrative adjective
• interpenetratively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of interpenetrate¹

First recorded in 1800–10; inter- + penetrate

Example Sentences

As the past and the present interpenetrate in Clark’s performance, you may feel, as I did, the themes of “Kimberly Akimbo” recombining to achieve an even sharper focus.

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Negative space and positive materiality interpenetrate in an extraordinary formal condensation of Cubist technique.

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The possibility that all things known and unknown are interpenetrated.

Read more on Washington Post

Crazing patterns in polymers form in a direction perpendicular to the applied stress, and consist of interpenetrating, micrometre-scale voids bridged by highly oriented polymer microfibrils.

Read more on Nature

The substantial reconstruction that is needed to convert single networks into interpenetrating ones requires a large energy barrier to be overcome.

Read more on Nature