penetrate

verb

spread or diffuse through

insert the penis into the vagina or anus of

make one's way deeper into or through

enter a group or organization in order to spy on the members

become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions

come to understand

pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

Roots

penetrarepenetr- · Latin · enter, pierce

Synonyms for penetrate

interpenetratev infiltratev permeatev transpierce perforatev pervadev fathomv imbuev empierce diffuseadj

Synonyms & related words for penetrate

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of penetrate — including interpenetrate, infiltrate, permeate, transpierce, perforate, pervade. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to penetrate

Explore words related to penetrate — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include interpenetrant, penetration, intrant, perforable, penetrator, penetrable, penetrably, penetrableness. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for penetrate

Common synonyms for penetrate include interpenetrate, infiltrate, permeate, transpierce, perforate, pervade, fathom, imbue — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does penetrate come from?

The word penetrate breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root penetr-, from Latin penetrare (“enter, pierce”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.