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Glite Dictionary
🕳️ To make holes 📄 To make tearable holes
to perforate

to perforate

12 6.1
Make a hole through something by piercing it
  • verb
  • /ˈpɜrfəˌreɪt/
translation icon : perforar
  • Sometimes the stones were thinned so much that they were perforated through the middle, resulting in a delicate doughnut shape.
  • perforated membrane
  • perforated eardrum
  • perforated pipe

But then the drugs sort of perforate that.

Examples

  • Regardless of the mechanism of injury, the tympanic membrane is typically perforated, which results in a conductive hearing loss.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Its sides were perforated with a large number of holes of approximately 8 mm in diameter.

    Academic text (1993)

  • But last year, the agency basically banned the use of these drops in patients with perforated eardrums.

    Academic text (2003)

  • In homes 3 and 6, the perforated pipe was used in a linear fashion and was centrally located.

    Academic text (1993)

  • We include the steroid regardless of whether the patient's tympanic membrane is perforated.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The passive muffler consists of a perforated tube surrounded by fiberglass or other fiber materials.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Red coral has no predators, but it does have a parasite: a sponge that perforates colony bases.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The funnel incorporates a removable perforated plate that allows thorough manual cleaning and autoclaving.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The dentist had to perforate the gum to drain the infection.

  • Please perforate the paper along the dotted line to separate the pages.

Synonyms

to penetrate
vsto perforate
175 4.1

Move through something with effort, for example thick curtains or a jungle

emphasizes making actual holes through the material rather than merely entering it
to drill
vsto perforate
170 2.2

To make a hole by using a tool that turns

is the same general idea but not tied to tool driven drilling methods
to punch
vsto perforate
136 1.8

To make a hole in paper or leather with a small tool

is similar but can include various methods beyond tool based forcing
to pierce
vsto perforate
110 3.5

To make a hole in something with a sharp object like a needle

is about making holes often by cutting or piercing rather than only entering
to puncture
vsto perforate
50 3.9

To make a small hole in something with a sharp object that lets air or liquid escape

covers making holes generally and not only small holes that release contents
to gouge
vsto perforate
20 7.2

To make a deep cut or hole in something with a sharp object

focuses on making holes through rather than gouging out deep material
to hole
vsto perforate
6 6.4

To make an opening in something by cutting or piercing

highlights specifically making holes often by passing through rather than general damage
to stave
vsto perforate
6 8.5

To break a hole in an object by hitting or crushing it

is more about creating openings by controlled piercing rather than destructive force
to gouge out
vsto perforate
5 7.4

To make a deep cut or groove in a surface by scraping

is about piercing through material to create openings not deep gouges
to pierce through
vsto perforate
3 4.4

Move into and through something by making a hole or gap

focuses on creating holes rather than on the full passage through thickness
to riddle
vsto perforate
2 8.0

To make many holes in something often with bullets

is about making holes generally rather than specifically making many holes
to perf
vsto perforate
  • Informal
1 9.9

To make a row of small holes so paper tears easily

is the general action of making holes without the informal formatting focus
to bore
vsto perforate
1 4.9

To make a hole in something with a tool or with animal teeth

is broader, including piercing by many means not only tool driven holes
to thurl
vsto perforate
  • Archaic
9.9

To make a hole through something with a tool

uses the same hole making idea but in modern, standard wording
to stave in
vsto perforate
7.7

To break a hole in something and make part cave in

involves making holes by piercing or passing through rather than smashing

Antonyms

to seal
457 2.5

To close something tightly to stop air or water getting in

How Piercing

to puncture
50 3.9
to pierce
110 3.5
to perforate
12 6.1
to nick
33 3.5

Surface Forms

perforate infinitive
perforated past
perforated past participle
perforating present participle
perforates third person singular

Morphology

perforate = per + forate + ate

The verb is compositionally per- (through) + -ate (verb-forming), yielding 'pierce through', but the stem 'forate' is not a familiar standalone English word, so learners may not fully infer the parts.

Etymology

Perforate comes from the Latin parts per- 'through' and forare 'to bore', and is like the English verb bore (to make a hole). That's why to perforate something means to make a hole or holes that go 'through' it, whether by piercing or passing through.