infiltrate

To secretly enter a place or join a group to collect information or influence it.

• A spy infiltrated the group.
• Police officers infiltrated the criminal network.
• They tried to infiltrate the company using false names.

Similar words: penetrate

Common phrases: infiltrate a group, infiltrate enemy lines, infiltrate an organization

To secretly send people into a place or group to collect information or influence it.

• They infiltrated agents into the group.
• The army infiltrated soldiers behind enemy lines.
• The agency plans to infiltrate two spies into the organization.

How to use it: infiltrate someone into something (The police infiltrated an officer into the gang.)

Similar words: plant, insert

Common phrases: infiltrate agents, infiltrate spies, infiltrate someone into something

To make a liquid pass slowly through small spaces in a material.

• The system infiltrates water through sand.
• They infiltrated a solution through the porous material.
• This method infiltrates liquid into tiny spaces.

How to use it: infiltrate something through something (The device infiltrates water through a layer of sand.)

Similar words: filter, percolate

Common phrases: infiltrate water, infiltrate a solution, infiltrate through something

To enter and spread through a part of the body, especially as cancer cells do.

• Cancer cells can infiltrate nearby tissue.
• The tumor had infiltrated the muscle.
• These cells infiltrate several organs as the disease progresses.

Similar words: invade, penetrate

Common phrases: infiltrate surrounding tissue, infiltrate an organ, infiltrate the muscle