The nails easily penetrated the soft wood when Kyle was working on his carpentry project.
The odor of garlic penetrated the entire apartment when Debora was cooking.
2. To force one's way in, go into, or to pass through: Melvin's eyes couldn't penetrate the darkness.Even where the trees were thickest, the sunshine still penetrated through the leaves.
3. To get into an enemy group or rival organization to obtain information or to influence some kind of changes: Polly and Helena decided to penetrate the political group so they could find out what the organization was planning against their opposition.The government fears that there are informers who are penetrating the special military department so they can publicize its secret activities.
4. To succeed in fathoming or gaining insight into something complex or mysterious: John, the biologist, apparently was able to penetrate the mysteries of nature.2. Sharp-witted, perceptive, showing insight, or discerning: As a reporter, Eugenia was making a penetrating study of the political proposals of the two candidates.
Susana made penetrating criticisms about her company's labor policies.
Ground penetrating radar or GPR works by sending high-frequency radar pulses from an antenna into the ground.
Buried materials or sediments and changes in the subsoil reflect the radar pulses back up to the antenna, and by measuring the time that has passed between when the pulses were sent and when they were received; an understanding of the changes in soils, sediments, and features can be determined.