infiltrate

verb

ˈin-(ˌ)fil-ˌtrāt How to pronounce infiltrate (audio)
Definition of infiltratenext
as in to sneak
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way over time, undercover agents infiltrated the crime ring and eventually busted their gambling racket

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of infiltrate For a brand so rooted in sleek designs and drenched in an ever-present Bauhaus inspiration, seeing a botanical print infiltrating its language was unexpected. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026 Still, hackers can infiltrate companies by duping an employee into installing malware on their computer or exploiting unknown vulnerabilities in their software or network. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026 The film follows a group of adults in an isolated Pennsylvania farmhouse, as hoards of flesh-eating ghouls overrun the country and infiltrate their residence. — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 Last year, detectives infiltrated a private WhatsApp group used to advertise and sell large quantities of drugs, police said. — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for infiltrate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infiltrate
  1. sneak
  2. worm
  3. insert
  4. slip
  5. work in
Verb
  • But, the heartbreak would come sneaking around the bend over what might be the wildest 20 seconds of recent Big Ten memory, thanks to the insane final few minutes.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The basics include covering vents with mesh so embers can’t sneak in and ensuring every window and door is closed.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • Over the next several decades, and countless strangulations, Homer and Bart wormed their way into our hearts.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The idea wormed its way through the State Fair machinery, and with a month and a half to go until gates opened, EatFuti heard they’d be allowed to test a pilot program.
    — Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of worm
Verb
  • Uncover and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is puffed and appears dry, and a toothpick inserted into the brownie portion near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI personnel discovered the audio recording device inserted into a USB port of a television in an executive conference room in an OpenAI building in San Francisco, the Justice Department said in a news release.
    — Joe Kottke, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of insert
Verb
  • Some dental floss manufacturers have been quietly moving away from the synthetic material PTFE, which helped their product slip smoothly between teeth.
    — Margaret Hetherman The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The spacecraft will arrive in the Mars system in August 2027, then slip into orbit around Phobos a month later.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of slip
Verb
  • The machine is a tree excavator, usually working in the shadow of a tree planted a century ago.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But after helping Russia fight its war in Ukraine over the past few years, members of the axis are now finding ways to make their network work in a new theater.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of work in

Browse Nearby Words

infightings
infiltrate
infiltrated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Infiltrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infiltrate. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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