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: discern, fathom

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: touch

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

/ ˈpɛnɪˌtreɪt /

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

Derived Forms

• ˈpenetrably, adverb
• ˈpenetrative, adjective
• ˈpenetrable, adjective
• ˈpeneˌtrator, noun
• ˌpenetraˈbility, noun

Other Word Forms

• pene·trator noun
• pre·pene·trate verb (used with object) prepenetrated prepenetrating
• un·pene·trated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of penetrate¹

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” ( enter ( def ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of penetrate¹

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

Synonym Study

See pierce.

Example Sentences

Penly told Carter, per the lawsuit, that she did not want to have sex, but the singer allegedly proceeded to “forcefully” penetrate her.

From Los Angeles Times

Once the blackout fog clears and the shame descends, Saxon allows some rare moments of vulnerability to penetrate his swaggering façade.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

"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 BBC

"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 BBC

Related Words

• crack
• drill
• enter
• go through
• infiltrate
• invade
• pass through
• permeate
• pervade
• puncture
• seep