26984 words

penetrates

10 definitions • 14 examples
1
to move into or through something:

Examples:

Amazingly, the bullet did not penetrate his brain.
In a normal winter, the frost penetrates deeply enough to kill off insect eggs in the soil.
2
to succeed in becoming part of an organization, etc. and working within it :

Examples:

The organization had been penetrated by a spy.
The company has been successful in penetrating overseas markets this year (= it has started selling its products in them).
3
in sport to move the ball through an opponent's defence:

Examples:

The Australians seemed able to penetrate the South African defence at will.
They contained the opposition for long periods but were unable to penetrate.
4
to reach or affect something:

Examples:

These changes had not yet penetrated as far west as the mountains of Merioneth.
5
If your eyes penetrate somewhere dark, you manage to see through it:

Examples:

Our eyes couldn't penetrate the dark/the gloom of the inner cave.
6
When a person penetrates someone as a sexual act, they put their penis or another object into another person's body.
7
to study or investigate something in order to understand it:

Examples:

It's hard to penetrate her mind.
He penetrates deeper into the artist's life in the second volume of his autobiography.
8
to move into or through something:

Examples:

[ I ] The drill isn’t sharp enough to penetrate into the rock.
[ T ] Women have begun to penetrate a lot of fields that were dominated by men for centuries.
9
to understand something, or to be understood as a result of study or investigation:

Examples:

[ I ] Her writing penetrated to the heart of contemporary life.
10
to begin to sell products or services in a new area or to a new group of customers:

Examples:

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