penetrate

verb

US /ˈpenəˌtreɪt/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	penetrate
he/she/it	penetrates
present participle	penetrating
past tense	penetrated
past participle	penetrated

1
intransitive/transitive to get inside an object or body by getting through something
A piece of glass had penetrated the skin.
Synonyms and related words
To move through an area or object
cross
cut across
push
1. 1a
  to get inside an area by getting past something that is intended to stop you
  They had penetrated deep into enemy territory.
  One of them managed to penetrate airport security.
  Synonyms and related words
  To move through an area or object
  cross
  cut across
  push
2
intransitive/transitive to get through something into a place and be heard, seen, or felt by people in it
Few sounds penetrate the thick walls.
Synonyms and related words
To move through an area or object
cross
cut across
push
3
intransitive/transitive to reach or affect something such as a part of society
one of the last cultures in the world that television has not penetrated
Synonyms and related words
To have an effect
affect
shape
impact
4
intransitive/transitive to be noticed or understood by someone
Their advice never even penetrated his consciousness.
What she said didn’t penetrate until just now.
Synonyms and related words
To be, or to become known
come out
get around
leak out
5
transitive to become a member of a group in order to find out secret information about them
Synonyms and related words
Spies and spying
agent
breach of security
bug
6
transitive if a man penetrates someone, he puts his penis into his partner’s vagina or anus during sex
Synonyms and related words
To have sex
sleep with
consummate
copulate

phrases

penetrate a market

penetrate someone’s disguise

penetrate the mysteries of something

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