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 Those arrested are allegedly part of the notorious Angelino clan, which had infiltrated Caivano to such an extent the local government was put under judicial administration last year, Gratteri told CNN. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026 Germany’s weather service reported that the country’s record-high temperature was broken thrice in three days, and low water levels were allowing seawater to infiltrate the Po. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 Aaliyah was Joe's first major target in Season 1, when the CIA Lioness program sent Marine Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira) undercover to befriend her and infiltrate her family. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026 The Lioness Program recruits female operatives who go undercover and infiltrate the inner circles of enemy targets by getting close to the women connected to them. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Sep. 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
  • Owen Wilson plays an overprotective dad who sneaks his 13-year-old son (Christian Convery) into the festival.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Jason Sudeikis does sneak in the final emotional moment, when Ted learns that Mae Green, the beloved owner of the local Crown & Anchor pub, apparently died while cheering on the team from the stands.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 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
  • Similarly, after users realized the Rumpelstiltskin meme was made with AI, the clip quickly became a template for users to insert their own characters.
    — Angela Yang, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
  • French design firm Gilles & Boissier helped design the 21 guestrooms, inserting green spaces filled with palm trees and other tropical flora to make each living space feel ultra-private.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of insert
Verb
  • When OpenAI went from o1-preview to o1, its score on a competition math exam rose roughly 30 points, while its score on a broad general-knowledge test (Massive Multitask Language Understanding, or MMLU) slipped a point and a half.
    — Dhyey Mavani, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • His National Film Board of Canada film goes beyond numbers to humanize the Iranian-Canadian victims of Flight PS752 who have long slipped from news headlines, even as their families continue an uphill battle to hold Iran accountable.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of slip
Verb
  • The drama mixes battlefield action with a tale of conflicted allegiances and the dangers of undercover work in hostile territory.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • While Spencer Jones is still a work in progress defensively in center, Grisham certainly shouldn’t be patrolling the position for the Yankees moving forward.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 9 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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