penetrate

[ pen-i-treyt ]
See synonyms for: penetratepenetratedpenetratespenetrating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),pen·e·trat·ed, pen·e·trat·ing.
  1. to pierce or pass into or through: The bullet penetrated the wall. The fog lights penetrated the mist.

  2. to enter the interior of: to penetrate a forest.

  1. to enter and diffuse itself through; permeate.

  2. to arrive at the truth or meaning of; understand; comprehend: to penetrate a mystery.

  3. to obtain a share of (a market): to penetrate the Canadian coffee market.

  4. to affect or impress (the mind or feelings) deeply.

  5. to extend influence, usually peacefully, into the affairs of (another country).

verb (used without object),pen·e·trat·ed, pen·e·trat·ing.
  1. to enter, reach, or pass through something, as by piercing: We penetrated to the interior of the Kasbah.

  2. to be diffused through something.

  1. to understand or read the meaning of something.

  2. to have a deep effect or impact on someone.

Origin of penetrate

1
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin penetrātus “entered the interior of,” past participle of penetrāre “to enter the interior of,” from penet-, variant stem of penitus “deep down” + -āre, infinitive verb suffix, with the vowel change and addition of -r- probably by analogy with intus “inside,” intrāre “to enter” (see enter )

synonym study For penetrate

1. See pierce.

Other words for penetrate

Other words from penetrate

  • pen·e·tra·tor, noun
  • pre·pen·e·trate, verb (used with object), pre·pen·e·trat·ed, pre·pen·e·trat·ing.
  • un·pen·e·trat·ed, adjective

Words Nearby penetrate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use penetrate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for penetrate

penetrate

/ (ˈpɛnɪˌtreɪt) /


verb
  1. to find or force a way into or through (something); pierce; enter

  2. to diffuse through (a substance); permeate

  1. (tr) to see through: their eyes could not penetrate the fog

  2. (tr) (of a man) to insert the penis into the vagina of (a woman)

  3. (tr) to grasp the meaning of (a principle, etc)

  4. (intr) to be understood: his face lit up as the new idea penetrated

Origin of penetrate

1
C16: from Latin penetrāre; related to penitus inner, and penus the interior of a house

Derived forms of penetrate

  • penetrable, adjective
  • penetrability, noun
  • penetrably, adverb
  • penetrative, adjective
  • penetrator, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012