infiltrate

verb

in·fil·trate ˈin-(ˌ)fil-ˌtrāt

in-ˈfil-

infiltrated; infiltrating

transitive verb

: to enter or become established in gradually or unobtrusively usually for subversive purposes

the intelligence staff had been infiltrated by spies

: to pass (troops) singly or in small groups through gaps in the enemy line

: to pass into or through (a substance) by filtering or permeating

: to cause (something, such as a liquid) to permeate something by penetrating its pores or interstices

intransitive verb

: to enter, permeate, or pass through a substance or area by filtering or by insinuating gradually

infiltrate noun

infiltration

ˌin-(ˌ)fil-ˈtrā-shən

noun

infiltrative

ˈin-(ˌ)fil-ˌtrā-tiv

in-ˈfil-trə-

adjective

infiltrator

ˈin-(ˌ)fil-ˌtrā-tər

in-ˈfil-

noun

Example Sentences

The gang was infiltrated by undercover agents. Attempts to infiltrate undercover agents into the gang have failed. Water can easily infiltrate the soil.

Recent Examples on the Web Complicating matters is the multiple attack vectors criminals can use to infiltrate a supply chain.

David Breg, WSJ, 19 May 2022 It's set to feature the Skrulls, who've managed to use their shape-shifting powers to infiltrate Earth over years.

Devan Coggan, EW.com, 17 May 2022 Rather than using the shadows, Hitman games encourage players to use social cues, including disguises, to infiltrate locations.

Washington Post, 24 May 2021 The bridges hold a lot of cryptocurrencies, providing a larger and more complex arena for hackers to infiltrate, according to cybersecurity experts.

Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2022 By breaching this safeguard, attackers can digitally sign software with the company’s code signing certificate (that serves as a token of trust), which enables the attackers to infiltrate customer networks without detection.

Gregory Webb, Forbes, 11 July 2022 Scientists have previously warned that the canyon could provide a potential pathway for the ocean to infiltrate deep into Antarctica’s center.

Rachel Pannett, Washington Post, 10 Aug. 2022 During the Season 3 finale, Police Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) go undercover as Russian officers to infiltrate a secret Soviet base underneath the Starcourt Mall.

Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 23 May 2022 Social media groups have offered a unique forum for families to crowdsource formula within their communities, but those groups have also offered easy marks for scammers to infiltrate.

Kaitlyn Folmer, ABC News, 19 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infiltrate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.