Penetrate | Mean of penetrate in English Dictionary

/ˈpɛnəˌtreɪt/

• Verb
• to go through or into something
1. These bullets can penetrate armor.
2. radiation penetrating the Earth's atmosphere
3. The bullet failed to penetrate.
4. The heat penetrated through the wall.
5. The roots of these plants have been known to penetrate to a depth of more than 15 feet.
• to see or show the way through (something)
1. Our eyes were unable to penetrate the darkness. [=we were unable to see through the darkness]
2. My car's headlights couldn't penetrate the dense fog.
3. They were unable to penetrate his disguise. [=to see or realize who he really was behind his disguise]
• to succeed in becoming part of (an organization, a community, etc.)
1. The movie is about foreign agents who penetrate [=infiltrate] the CIA.
2. The company is trying to penetrate [=sell its products in] the U.S. market.

• to succeed in understanding or finding (something)
1. scientists trying to penetrate the secrets hidden in our genes
2. attempting to penetrate the mysteries of human nature
• to be understood or noticed by someone
1. The truth had not yet penetrated my consciousness. [=I had not yet realized the truth]
2. The truth had not yet penetrated.
• to put the penis into the vagina or the anus of (another person) during sex