penetrated

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'penetrated' is correct and commonly used in written English.
It means to enter or pass through something, typically with force or intensity. Example: The bullet penetrated the armor, causing severe damage to the vehicle.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It hasn't really penetrated the public consciousness in the way some thought would happen.

The Guardian

The UK value segment is as mature as the US by spend/capita but both markets are lowly penetrated.

The Guardian - Business

Men aren't simply raped, they are forced to penetrate holes in banana trees that run with acidic sap, to sit with their genitals over a fire, to drag rocks tied to their penis, to give oral sex to queues of soldiers, to be penetrated with screwdrivers and sticks.

The Guardian

Just before midnight on 14 April in Chibok, north-east Nigeria, pastor Enoch Mark's phone rang.Half asleep, it took him a while to make sense of the voice talking rapidly down the line.Eventually four words penetrated: "Boko Haram are coming".

The Guardian

Their ranks have been penetrated by informers and agent provocateurs for more than a century.

The Guardian

Film culture penetrated my growing up very little.

The Guardian - Film

The treatment took hours, Rosemary drove her friend home, stayed late to look after her, went home, studied a map, realised she had penetrated the zone a weeny bit, but was too knackered to stagger out again and pay the charge.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

A Dutch-led investigation's preliminary report in September said MH17 broke up in mid-air as a result of structural damage caused by "a large number of high-energy objects that penetrated the aircraft from outside", but did not assign blame.

The Guardian

Lake County coroner Thomas Rudd said in a statement that his autopsy had determined Howell suffered two "penetrating gunshot wounds on the torso" – one on the left that penetrated his spleen, liver and heart, and the other on the right that penetrated tissue and his right shoulder.

The Guardian

"It is a very complicated situation because both Ardillos and Rojos have penetrated the social fabric," Ortega told Radio Fórmula on Thursday.

The Guardian

Despite significant progress in overcoming the barriers to equal opportunities, which includes new legislation to support women's right to work, change has not penetrated deep enough in some countries.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "penetrated", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being entered or passed through, and the manner in which it occurs, whether forcefully or subtly.

Common error

Avoid using "penetrated" in contexts where a more appropriate verb like "influenced", "affected", or "impacted" would be more fitting, especially in abstract discussions.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "penetrated" is as the past tense or past participle of the verb "penetrate". It describes the action of something entering or passing through something else. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and common usage of this verb form.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "penetrated" is the past tense form of "penetrate", and it is grammatically correct and commonly used across various domains. Ludwig AI affirms its validity for English writing. Its primary function is to describe the action of entering or passing through something, frequently with a sense of force or significant impact. While applicable across various registers, it is mostly found in News & Media, and Formal contexts. When writing with "penetrated", ensure clarity regarding what is being entered and the nature of that entry, avoiding its use in contexts where a more subtle or nuanced verb would be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Infiltrated

Similar in meaning, suggesting a subtle or covert entry.

Permeated

Implies spreading throughout something.

Pierced

Focuses on a sharp entry creating a hole.

Punctured

Similar to 'pierced' but often used for less forceful entries.

Infused

Suggests filling something with a quality or substance.

Invaded

Suggests a forceful and unwelcome entry.

Seeped into

Indicates a slow and gradual entry.

Bore through

Implies a strenuous and forceful passage.

Cracked

Refers to the partial entry, not necessarily all the way through.

Traversed

Suggests crossing or passing through an area.

FAQs

How is "penetrated" typically used in a sentence?

The word "penetrated" is commonly used to describe something entering or passing through an object or barrier, often with force. For example, "The bullet "penetrated" the wall" or "The idea "penetrated" his consciousness".

What can I say instead of "penetrated" to avoid repetition?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "infiltrated", "permeated", "pierced", or "invaded". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between ""penetrated"" and "permeated"?

"Penetrated" suggests a direct entry through a barrier, whereas "permeated" implies a spreading or diffusion throughout something. For instance, a needle "penetrates" skin, but a scent "permeates" a room.

Is it correct to use "penetrated" in a metaphorical sense?

Yes, "penetrated" can be used metaphorically to describe an idea or concept entering someone's mind or affecting a situation. For example, "The new strategy "penetrated" the market quickly" or "His words "penetrated" her heart".