penetrate
gb/pˈɛnətɹˌeɪt/ us/pˈɛnətɹˌeɪt/
B2
English
~ 6500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
go into or through something
To go into or through something, especially when it is hard or thick.
Usage pattern:
to penetrate [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *penetrate* when *enter* is more natural in everyday speech (e.g., saying "We penetrated the house" instead of "We went into the house"). Use *penetrate* when the idea of going through a surface or barrier is important, especially in technical, military, or scientific contexts.
Synonyms
pierce (Often suggests a sharp point making a small but deep hole.)
Antonyms
bounce off (Emphasizes that something hits a surface but does not go through it.)
Collocations
penetrate the surface
|penetrate the wall
|penetrate armor
|penetrate the skin
|penetrate deep into [something]
|penetrate the soil
Themes
physics
|war
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The bullet failed to penetrate the body armor.
- Tree roots can penetrate concrete over many years.
- The needle penetrated the skin with a quick, sharp sting.
- Only a few rays of light managed to penetrate the thick curtains.
- The drill bit easily penetrated the metal plate.
Learner examples
- The nail did not penetrate the wood.
- Sunlight could not penetrate the dark clouds.
- Their tanks quickly penetrated the weak wall.
- The knife penetrated the soft fruit.
- Water can penetrate the ground after heavy rain.
Verb
C1
action
2
enter a group, area, or market
To get into a place, group, or market so you can act there or sell things there, often when it is not easy.
Usage pattern:
to penetrate [a market / an organization / an area]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "enter to the market" instead of "enter the market" or "penetrate the market". Do not use a preposition after *penetrate* in this sense: say "penetrate the market", not "penetrate into the market" in business contexts.
Synonyms
break into (Informal business term that focuses on entering a new field or market, often after effort.)
Antonyms
withdraw from (Describes leaving or pulling out of a market, area, or activity, the opposite of entering it.)
Collocations
penetrate the market
|penetrate new markets
|penetrate the mainstream
|penetrate enemy lines
|penetrate the community
|penetrate foreign markets
Themes
business
|politics
|work
Examples
- The company has struggled to penetrate the American market.
- Government agents finally managed to penetrate the criminal network.
- Their music took years to penetrate the mainstream audience.
- Hackers attempted to penetrate the bank’s internal systems.
- Rebel forces were unable to penetrate the heavily guarded city center.
Learner examples
- The firm wants to penetrate the Asian market.
- Spies tried to penetrate the enemy group.
- It is hard for small brands to penetrate this market.
- New businesses find it difficult to penetrate the industry.
- The virus did not penetrate the secure network.
Verb
C1
action
3
understand or discover deeply
To understand something very well, especially when it is difficult or secret.
Usage pattern:
to penetrate [a mystery / someone's mind / a problem]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this formal verb instead of simpler words like *understand* or *figure out*. Use *penetrate* mainly in formal or serious contexts, such as academic writing or deep analysis, not in everyday talk like "I penetrated the joke" (say "I understood the joke").
Synonyms
grasp (Common and slightly simpler; focuses on successfully understanding, without the idea of uncovering secrets.)
Antonyms
misunderstand (Indicates a failure to understand correctly, the opposite of deep or accurate understanding.)
Collocations
penetrate the mystery
|penetrate the truth
|penetrate the mind
|penetrate the problem
|penetrate beneath the surface
|penetrate the complexities
Themes
thinking
|science
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The book tries to penetrate the psychology of violent criminals.
- It took years of research to penetrate the mysteries of the human genome.
- Her analysis really penetrates the core of the issue.
- Few outsiders can penetrate the complex rules of this tradition.
- The journalist’s questions were sharp enough to penetrate his carefully prepared answers.
Learner examples
- Scientists are trying to penetrate the mystery of the brain.
- His study helps us penetrate the problem of poverty.
- The movie does not really penetrate the reasons for the war.
- I could not penetrate the meaning of the poem.
- Her questions penetrate the heart of the issue.
Verb
C1
action
4
enter someone's body during sex
To go inside someone's body with the penis or another object during sex.
Usage pattern:
to penetrate [someone / a body part]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that *penetrate* has a specific, often clinical meaning in sexual contexts and might use more informal or vulgar words instead. Also, do not say "penetrate into her" in this sense; simply use "penetrate her" or "penetrate the body".
Synonyms
have intercourse with (A more general and somewhat more formal expression; does not focus only on the action of entering the body.)
Antonyms
abstain from intercourse (Focuses on not engaging in sexual activity that would involve penetration.)
Collocations
penetrate the vagina
|penetrate the body
|unable to penetrate
|penetrate her sexually
|penetrate him with a finger
Themes
sex
|health
|relationships
|body
Examples
- He was unable to penetrate her without causing pain, so they stopped.
- In some cases, the penis may not fully penetrate the vagina.
- The doctor explained that the object had penetrated the body during sexual activity.
- The law defines rape as any act in which a person is penetrated without consent.
- They chose to be intimate without him penetrating her.
Learner examples
- The doctor asked if her partner had penetrated her.
- He did not penetrate her because she said no.
- The object accidentally penetrated his body during sex.
- The book explains what it means to penetrate a partner.
- They had sex, but he did not penetrate her.
Verb
C1
event
5
be strongly felt through barrier
When light, sound, cold, or a smell goes through something and is strongly felt on the other side.
Usage pattern:
to [light/sound/cold/smell] penetrate [a place / a barrier]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "go inside strongly" or "pass strongly" instead of using *penetrate* for things like cold or smell. Also, avoid overusing this formal word in very casual speech when simpler verbs like *get through* or *come in* are enough.
Synonyms
permeate (Often used especially for smells or feelings spreading through something, with less focus on a barrier.)
Antonyms
be shut out (Emphasizes that light, sound, cold, or smell does not get through a barrier.)
Collocations
cold penetrated his coat
|the smell penetrated the whole house
|the sound penetrated the walls
|sunlight penetrated the clouds
|the noise penetrated my sleep
Themes
weather
|senses
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|nature
Examples
- A bitter wind penetrated his thin jacket.
- The smell of smoke penetrated every room in the building.
- Her scream penetrated the thick walls of the old house.
- A single beam of light penetrated the dark cave.
- The music was so loud it penetrated my dreams.
Learner examples
- The cold penetrated my coat and I started to shake.
- The strong smell of garlic penetrated the small kitchen.
- Loud voices penetrated the closed door.
- Bright light penetrated the room through a small window.
- The noise penetrated my sleep and woke me up.
Grammar
Dictionary form
penetrate
IPA
GB/pˈɛnətɹˌeɪt/
US/pˈɛnətɹˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
pen - et - rate (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pen)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: penetrate
- 3rd Person Singular: penetrates
- Present Participle: penetrating
- Past: penetrated
Word family
Forms
penetrates
verb
penetrating
verb
penetrated
verb
Core family
penetration
noun B2
Related words
penetrable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
impenetrable
adjective C1
Advanced or less common
penetrative
adjective
impenetrability
noun
Expressions
penetrate the defenses
1/pˈɛnətɹˌeɪt ðə dɪfˈɛnsɪz/
fixed phrase
break through defenses or protection
To get past walls, guards, or security systems that are meant to stop attacks.
Examples
- The attackers were unable to penetrate the city’s defenses.
- The new software is designed to prevent hackers from penetrating the defenses of the network.
penetrate the fog
1/pˈɛnətɹˌeɪt ðə fˈɔɡ/
fixed phrase
literary
go through thick fog
To go through thick fog so that you can see or move past it.
Examples
- The car’s headlights barely penetrated the fog.
- A lighthouse beam penetrated the fog and guided the ship to safety.
penetrate the market
1/pˈɛnətɹˌeɪt ðə mˈɑɹkɪt/
fixed phrase
successfully enter a market
To start selling products or services in a market and gain some customers there.
Examples
- The startup hopes to penetrate the European market within two years.
- It took decades for the brand to penetrate the rural market.