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View synonyms for

penetrate

[ pen-i-treyt ]

verb (used with object)

penetrated, penetrating.
  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.

  3. to enter and diffuse itself through; permeate.
  4. to arrive at the truth or meaning of; understand; comprehend:

    to penetrate a mystery.

    Synonyms: ,

  5. to obtain a share of (a market):

    to penetrate the Canadian coffee market.

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

    Synonyms:

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


verb (used without object)

penetrated, penetrating.
  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.
  3. to understand or read the meaning of something.
  4. to have a deep effect or impact on someone.

penetrate

/ ˈɛɪˌٰɪ /

verb

  1. to find or force a way into or through (something); pierce; enter
  2. to diffuse through (a substance); permeate
  3. tr to see through

    their eyes could not penetrate the fog

  4. tr (of a man) to insert the penis into the vagina of (a woman)
  5. tr to grasp the meaning of (a principle, etc)
  6. intr to be understood

    his face lit up as the new idea penetrated

“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈԱٰ, adverb
  • ˈԱٰپ, adjective
  • ˈԱٰ, adjective
  • ˈԱˌٰٴǰ, noun
  • ˌԱٰˈٲ, noun
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Other yvlogs From

  • ·ٰtǰ noun
  • ··ٰٱ verb (used with object) prepenetrated prepenetrating
  • ܲ··ٰe adjective
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of penetrate1

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin Աٰٳܲ “entered the interior of,” past participle of Աٰ “to enter the interior of,” from penet-, variant stem of penitus “deep down” + -, infinitive verb suffix, with the vowel change and addition of -r- probably by analogy with intus “iԲ,” Գٰ “to enter” ( enter ( def ) )
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of penetrate1

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

See pierce.
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Example Sentences

Appalled, Wynn-Williams tells them that this is not likely to go over well in every country Facebook wishes to penetrate.

From

"We don't know whether that communications path has been penetrated. So we don't know whether the state actors that have lots of resources are just sitting and working now."

From

"Transnational criminals working around the region know how to tap into... I'll call it local talent to penetrate our society, whether through politics or business," he explains.

From

Tromping around in wet gardens can compact your soil, making it hard for tiny roots to grow and water to penetrate deep into the ground.

From

It is unlikely that the instruments on board can now be used, including a drill to penetrate the lunar soil, a hopping robot to explore a shadowed crater, and the first lunar antenna.

From

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