How to pronounce penetrate
Say it like PEN-uh-trayt. Penetrate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce penetrate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PEN
- uh
- trayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Penetrate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- traytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of penetrate
American and British speakers say penetrate in essentially the same way: /ˈpɛnəˌtreɪt/ in the US and /ˈpɛnəˌtreɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: PEN-uh-trayt.
What does penetrate mean?
- pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance“The bullet penetrated her chest”
- come to understand
- become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions“It dawned on him that she had betrayed him”“she was penetrated with sorrow”
Where does penetrate come from?
From Latin penētrātus, perfect passive participle of penētrō (“to put, set, or place within, enter, pierce, penetrate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from penes (“within, with”) by analogy to intrō (“to go in, enter”).
Questions about saying penetrate
How do you pronounce penetrate?
Say PEN-uh-trayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɛnəˌtreɪt/. In British English it is /ˈpɛnəˌtreɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in penetrate?
Penetrate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PEN). Broken into parts: PEN · uh · trayt.
Do Americans and Brits say penetrate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpɛnəˌtreɪt/ and the British form is /ˈpɛnəˌtreɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.