First Known Use: circa 1530
Dictionary
penetrate
verb pen·e·trate \ˈpe-nə-ˌtrāt\
: to go through or into something
: to see or show the way through (something)
: to succeed in becoming part of (an organization, a community, etc.)
pen·e·trat·edpen·e·trat·ing
Full Definition of PENETRATE
transitive verb
1
2
a : to see into or through b : to discover the inner contents or meaning of
3
: to affect profoundly with feeling
4
: to diffuse through or into
intransitive verb
1
a : to pass, extend, pierce, or diffuse into or through something b : to pierce something with the eye or mind
2
: to affect deeply the senses or feelings
See penetrate defined for English-language learners
See penetrate defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of PENETRATE
Latin penetratus, past participle of penetrare, from penitus deep within, far; akin to Latin penus provisions
Synonym Discussion of PENETRATE
enter, penetrate, pierce, probe mean to make way into something. enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in <entered the city in triumph>. penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance <the enemy penetrated the fortress>. pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument <pierced the boil with a lancet>. probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge <probed the depths of the sea>.
Rhymes with PENETRATE
abdicate, abnegate, abrogate, acclimate, acerbate, acetate, activate, actuate, acylate, adsorbate, advocate, adulate, adumbrate, aggravate, aggregate, agitate, allocate, altercate, ambulate, amputate, animate, annotate, annulate, antedate, antiquate, apartheid, apostate, approbate, arbitrate, arcuate, arrogate, aspirate, auscultate, automate, aviate, bantamweight, Bering Strait, bifurcate, billingsgate, bipinnate, boilerplate, bombinate, brachiate, buffer state, cabinmate, cachinnate, calculate, calibrate, caliphate, candidate, cannulate, cantillate, capitate, captivate, carbonate, carbon-date, carinate, carload rate, castigate, catenate, cavitate, celebrate, cerebrate, chlorinate, circinate, circulate, city-state, client state, cogitate, colligate, collimate, collocate, commentate, commutate, compensate, complicate, concentrate, condensate, confiscate, conglobate, conjugate, consecrate, constellate, consternate, constipate, consummate, contemplate, copperplate, copulate, coronate, correlate, corrugate, coruscate, counterweight, crepitate, criminate, cruciate, cucullate, culminate, cultivate, cumulate, cuneate, cupulate, cuspidate, cyclamate, Davis Strait, deaerate, decimate, decollate, decorate, decussate, defalcate, defecate, deflagrate, dehydrate, delegate, demarcate, demonstrate, denigrate, Denmark Strait, depilate, deviate, deprecate, depredate, derivate, derogate, desecrate, desiccate, designate, desolate, desquamate, detonate, devastate, deviate, digitate, diplomate, discarnate, dislocate, dissertate, dissipate, distillate, divagate, dominate, double date, edentate, educate, elevate, elongate, eluate, emanate, emigrate, emirate, emulate, enervate, ephorate, escalate, estimate, estivate, excavate, exchange rate, exculpate, execrate, expiate, explicate, expurgate, exsiccate, extirpate, extricate, exudate, fabricate, fascinate, fashion plate, featherweight, fecundate, federate, fenestrate, festinate, fibrillate, first estate, flagellate, flocculate, fluctuate, fluoridate, foliate, formulate, fornicate, fourth estate, fractionate, fragmentate, fulminate, fumigate, fustigate, geminate, generate, germinate, glaciate, Golden Gate, graduate, granulate, gratulate, gravitate, heavyweight, hebetate, herniate, hesitate, hibernate, Hudson Strait, hundredweight, hyphenate, ideate, imamate, imbricate, imitate, immigrate, immolate, impetrate, implicate, imprecate, impregnate, incarnate, increate, incubate, inculcate, inculpate, incurvate, indagate, indicate, indurate, infiltrate, in-line skate, in-migrate, innervate, innovate, insensate, inspissate, instigate, insulate, interstate, intestate, intimate, intonate, intraplate, inundate, invocate, iodate, irrigate, irritate, isolate, iterate, jubilate, juniorate, lacerate, laminate, Latinate, laureate, legislate, levigate, levitate, liberate, license plate, liquidate, litigate, littermate, lubricate, macerate, machinate, magistrate, marginate, margravate, marinate, masticate, masturbate, maturate, mediate, medicate, meditate, meliorate, menstruate, microstate, micturate, middleweight, militate, mithridate, mitigate, moderate, modulate, motivate, multistate, mutilate, nation-state, nauseate, navigate, neonate, nictitate, niobate, nominate, numerate, obfuscate, objurgate, obligate, obovate, obviate, on a plate, operate, opiate, orchestrate, ordinate, oscillate, osculate, out-migrate, out-of-date, overstate, overweight, ovulate, paginate, palliate, palpitate, paperweight, patinate, peculate, pennyweight, percolate, perennate, perforate, permeate, perpetrate, personate, police state, pollinate, populate, postulate, potentate, predicate, procreate, profligate, promulgate, propagate, prorogate, pullulate, pulmonate, punctuate, quantitate, rabbinate, radiate, real estate, recreate, re-create, reinstate, relegate, relocate, remonstrate, renovate, replicate, reprobate, resonate, retardate, retranslate, roller-skate, roseate, rubricate, ruinate, ruminate, runagate, running mate, rusticate, sagittate, salivate, sanitate, satiate, saturate, scintillate, second-rate, segregate, self-portrait, separate, sequestrate, seriate, sibilate, silver plate, simulate, sinuate, situate, speculate, spoliate, stablemate, starting gate, steady state, stimulate, stipulate, strangulate, stridulate, stylobate, subjugate, sublimate, subrogate, subulate, suffocate, sultanate, Sunda Strait, supplicate, surrogate, syncopate, syndicate, tablemate, tabulate, target date, terminate, tessellate, tête-à-tête, thirty-eight, titillate, titivate, tolerate, transmigrate, transudate, tribulate, tribunate, trifurcate, trilobate, tripinnate, triplicate, tunicate, turbinate, ulcerate, ululate, umbellate, uncinate, underrate, understate, underweight, undulate, ungulate, urinate, vaccinate, vacillate, validate, valuate, variate, vegetate, venerate, ventilate, vertebrate, vicarate, vindicate, violate, vitiate, water gate, Watergate, welfare state, welterweight
PENETRATE Defined for Kids
penetrate
verb pen·e·trate \ˈpe-nə-ˌtrāt\
pen·e·trat·edpen·e·trat·ing
Definition of PENETRATE for Kids
1
: to pass into or through <A nail penetrated the tire.> <But his voice was not strong enough to penetrate the thick wall. — E. B. White, Stuart Little>
2
: to see into or through <My eyes couldn't penetrate the darkness.>
Medical Dictionary
penetrate
verb pen·e·trate \ˈpen-ə-ˌtrāt\
pen·e·trat·edpen·e·trat·ing
Medical Definition of PENETRATE
transitive verb
1
: to pass into or through <enzymes that help the sperm penetrate the zona pellucida—Anna Maria Gillis>
2
: to insert the penis into the vagina of in copulation
intransitive verb
: to pass, extend, pierce, or diffuse into or through something <penetrating percutaneous nephroscopy or ureteroscopy—R. A. Riehle et al>
Learn More About PENETRATE
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: penetratingPrevious Word in the Dictionary: penetrant All Words Near: penetrate
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up penetrate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).