penetrate

[ pen-i-treyt ]

/ ˈpɛn ɪˌtreɪt /

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See synonyms for: penetrate / penetrated / penetrates / penetrating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), pen·e·trat·ed, pen·e·trat·ing.

to pierce or pass into or through: The bullet penetrated the wall. The fog lights penetrated the mist.

to enter the interior of: to penetrate a forest.

to enter and diffuse itself through; permeate.

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

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

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

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

verb (used without object), pen·e·trat·ed, pen·e·trat·ing.

to enter, reach, or pass through something, as by piercing: We penetrated to the interior of the Kasbah.

to be diffused through something.

to understand or read the meaning of something.

to have a deep effect or impact on someone.

OTHER WORDS FOR penetrate

4 fathom, discern.

6 touch.

See synonyms for penetrate on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of penetrate

1520–30; <Latin penetrātus (past participle of penetrāre), equivalent to penet-, variant stem of penitus deep down + -r- (probably by analogy with intus inside: intrāre to enter) + -ātus + -ate¹

synonym study for penetrate

1. See pierce.

OTHER WORDS FROM penetrate

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use penetrate in a sentence

General Penetrator, for instance, I learned a good deal from him,—and also from my own observations.'
A Fantasy of Far Japan|Baron Kencho Suyematsu

British Dictionary definitions for penetrate

penetrate

/ (ˈpɛnɪˌtreɪt) /

verb

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

to diffuse through (a substance); permeate

(tr) to see throughtheir eyes could not penetrate the fog

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

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

(intr) to be understoodhis face lit up as the new idea penetrated

Derived forms of penetrate

penetrable, adjectivepenetrability, nounpenetrably, adverbpenetrative, adjective

penetrator, noun

Word Origin for penetrate

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

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

penetrate

OTHER WORDS FOR penetrate

Origin of penetrate

synonym study for penetrate

OTHER WORDS FROM penetrate

Words related to penetrate

How to use penetrate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for penetrate

Derived forms of penetrate

Word Origin for penetrate