as in to pierce
to go or come in or into
a needle penetrated the heavy canvas only with great effort
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Recent Examples of penetrate
It was meant to penetrate censorship on the island, where media is tightly controlled by the government and independent journalists generally wind up in prison or in exile.
—
Frances Robles, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
In an incredibly clumsy move to penetrate the Chinese market, Facebook secretly released apps in the country through shell corporations without authorization, but supposedly with the tacit approval of China’s internet regulator.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
Sometimes, the most biting and penetrating films are the ones that poke fun at society’s absurdities—a dynamic that Mark Mylod fully understood with The Menu.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Heavy precipitation events often cause soil runoff and don’t penetrate the ground as well as consistent rainfall over several days.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penetrate
Frances Robles, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
In an incredibly clumsy move to penetrate the Chinese market, Facebook secretly released apps in the country through shell corporations without authorization, but supposedly with the tacit approval of China’s internet regulator.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
Sometimes, the most biting and penetrating films are the ones that poke fun at society’s absurdities—a dynamic that Mark Mylod fully understood with The Menu.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Heavy precipitation events often cause soil runoff and don’t penetrate the ground as well as consistent rainfall over several days.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penetrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penetrate
Verb
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Sprinkle salt and pepper on and toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil. Spread them out in a single layer on the pan. Bake just until the base of a stalk is easily pierced.—
Gretchen McKay,
Boston Herald,
2 Apr. 2025
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Bake just until the base of a stalk is easily pierced.—
Tribune News Service,
Denver Post,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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When Wade had entered the league, baggy, untucked dress shirts and oversize suits were the style on draft night; on game days, players draped 5XL sweat suits and Mitchell & Ness throwback jerseys over their lanky frames.—
D. Watkins,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2025
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The outspoken mother, who has clashed with Rock in the past, quickly went on to reiterate her desire for Blueface to enter a relationship with rap star Megan Thee Stallion, a hope that she’s expressed on previous occasions.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The defendants did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on April 2. OnlyFans is a social platform that allows users to subscribe to creators’ accounts and access exclusive content.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2025
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The temporary restraining order was issued on March 20 by federal Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander and blocks DOGE and related agents and employees from accessing agency systems that contain personally identifiable information.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penetrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penetrate. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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