penetration

USAGE SUMMARY

"penetration" is a correct and commonly used word in written English.
It is used as a noun to refer to an act of entering or passing into something or a penetration of a market by a company, for example. You can use it in a sentence like: "The company was able to achieve market penetration in an incredibly short amount of time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Tech

Business

Sport

Football

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Germans approached the game with their usual phlegmatic sense of discipline and organisation, preferring Thomas Berthold to Wolfgang Rolff to give them extra width, pace and penetration on the right.

The Guardian - Sport

(The biggest penetration worldwide, estimated at 40%, is in Italy).

The Guardian - Tech

He supports the investigation of alleged "deep penetration" by the Muslim Brotherhood of the US government.

The Guardian

West Germany deserved their success because from the beginning of the 1990 World Cup they had played fast, open attacking football and consistently achieved more penetration than any of their rivals.

The Guardian - Sport

On the death certificate, the cause of death was listed as "destruction of the brain mass due to penetration by a projectile from a firearm".

The Guardian

Cerrudo called for every city to have a Computer Emergency Response Team, or CERT – just as many big businesses do – to handle attacks or vulnerabilities, ensure vendors fix such flaws and run penetration tests to check their own systems.

The Guardian - Tech

"A combination of deregulation, above average GDP growth, a growing middle class and supportive migration trends in an area with a large population is expected to drive higher propensity to air travel and higher low-cost carrier penetration".

The Guardian - Business

Internet and smartphone penetration is extremely high in Iran, where 70% of the 80m population is under 35.

The Guardian - Tech

There are conflicting reports about the number of internet users but according to Internet World Stats, Iran has more than 46 million internet users (57.2% penetration), which is almost half the total number of internet users in the whole of the Middle East, although not all have regular access.

The Guardian - Tech

Information communication technologies have a higher penetration rate in urban areas, offering all kinds of opportunities and risks for development processes and programmes.

The Guardian

It also revealed her propensity for making gaffes and outlandish accusations, such as her claim that the Muslim Brotherhood had "deep penetration" within government.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing market presence, use "penetration" to describe how much a product or service has entered a market. For example, "The company aims to increase its market penetration by launching a new advertising campaign."

Common error

Avoid using "penetration" when "infiltration" is more appropriate. "Infiltration" often implies a subtle, secretive, or unwanted entry, while "penetration" is a more general term for entering or affecting something. For example, say "The virus infiltrated the network", not "penetrated the network".

Linguistic Context

Penetration primarily functions as a noun, denoting the act of entering or piercing something. It can also represent the extent to which something has permeated or affected an area, such as market penetration or internet penetration. Ludwig AI confirms that is a correct and commonly used word in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Tech

20%

Business

15%

Less common in

Sport

10%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "penetration" is a versatile noun with several distinct meanings. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and commonly used word in written English. It refers to the act of entering something, the extent to which something affects an area (like market penetration), or gaining insight. It appears most frequently in News & Media, Tech, and Business contexts. Related terms include "infiltration" and "intrusion", each offering slightly different nuances. When writing, be mindful of the context to ensure you're using "penetration" appropriately, avoiding confusion with similar words. Consider whether "infiltration" is more descriptive in situations implying subtlety or unwanted entry.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

infiltration

Focuses on subtle or gradual entry, often with a negative connotation.

intrusion

Emphasizes forceful or unwelcome entry.

access

Highlights the ability or right to enter or use something.

invasion

Suggests a large-scale or aggressive entry.

market share

Specifically refers to the proportion of a market controlled by a company or product.

adoption rate

Indicates the speed at which something is accepted or used.

understanding

Refers to gaining insight or knowledge about something.

discernment

Implies keenness in understanding or judgment.

piercing

Describes something that penetrates or creates a hole.

immersion

Suggests complete involvement or absorption in something.

FAQs

How can I use "penetration" in a sentence?

You can use "penetration" to describe the act of entering something, like "The bullet's penetration of the armor was minimal". It can also describe the extent to which a product or idea has entered a market or society, such as "The internet has achieved widespread penetration in urban areas".

What can I say instead of "penetration"?

Alternatives to "penetration" include "infiltration", "intrusion", or "access", depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

What does "market penetration" mean?

"Market penetration" refers to the extent to which a product or service is being used by customers compared to the total estimated market for that product or service. It's a measure of how successful a company is at selling its product or service within its target market.

Which is correct, "internet penetration" or "internet accessibility"?

Both "internet penetration" and "internet accessibility" are correct but have slightly different meanings. "Internet penetration" refers to the percentage of a population that uses the internet, while "internet accessibility" refers to how easily people can access the internet, considering factors like cost, infrastructure, and censorship.