Infiltrate
IN-fil-trayt
/ˈɪnfɪltreɪt/
To secretly enter or gain access to an organization, place, or system, especially in order to acquire secret information or cause damage.
Emphasizes a gradual, clandestine entry, often by blending in or exploiting subtle weaknesses, rather than a forceful breach.
The story behind the word. The word 'infiltrate' comes from the Latin prefix in- meaning 'into' and filtrum, meaning 'felt' or 'filter.' Originally, it referred to liquids passing through a filter or porous material. By the 19th century, it took on the military sense of troops or agents gradually and secretly passing into enemy territory or organizations, much like a liquid seeping through a filter.
Word relationships
- Penetrate: Similar, but 'infiltrate' often implies a more gradual, deceptive, or internal process.
- Sneak in: Less formal, more general, lacks the strategic connotation.
- Permeate: Often refers to substances spreading through something, less about agents.
- Withdraw: To remove oneself from a place or organization.
- Expel: To force someone out.
Commonly confused with
- Breach: To 'infiltrate' is to enter secretly and gradually; to 'breach' is to make a forceful or sudden break through defenses.
Word family
- infiltration (noun): The act or process of infiltrating.
- infiltrator (noun): A person who infiltrates.
Collocations
- infiltrate a network
- infiltrate an organization
- infiltrate enemy lines
- attempt to infiltrate
Example sentences
- "The agent's mission was to infiltrate the enemy's intelligence agency and uncover their plans." A spy novel plot point.
- "Hackers attempted to infiltrate the company's network by sending cleverly disguised phishing emails to employees." Discussing cybersecurity threats.
Memory hook
Imagine a spy trying to 'IN-FILTER-ATE' (filter in) through a secret passage. Filter in secretly
When not to use
Don't use for overt entry or casual visits; it implies a surreptitious, often deceptive, purpose.
Fun facts
- The military use of 'infiltration tactics' involves small units moving through gaps in enemy lines rather than direct assault.
Also appears in
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