perforate
verb
per·fo·rate
ˈpər-fə-ˌrāt 
perforated; perforating
1
: to make a hole through
especially
: to make a line of holes in to facilitate separation
2
: to pass through or into by or as if by making a hole
: to penetrate a surface
Examples of perforate in a Sentence
Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, and then use a fork to perforate the foil.
he perforated the sheet with his pencil and put it in his binder
Recent Examples on the Web
Grater-style zesters employ the same principle as a standard food or cheese grater and sport a longer metal shaft perforated with numerous small holes.
—
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025
To remove anything securing the cardboard together, either use a sharp tool, such as a box cutter, to carefully perforate the tape at the edges, or use a flathead screwdriver to pop out staples.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 7 Mar. 2025
Experimental reenactments suggested that, at Little Muck Shelter, trimming ostrich-eggshell beads before perforating them was slightly more successful than perforating before trimming.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025
The $65 book’s canvas hardcover is perforated to offer glimpses of campaign images and product details.
—Joelle Diderich, WWD, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perforate
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Bestreviews, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2025
To remove anything securing the cardboard together, either use a sharp tool, such as a box cutter, to carefully perforate the tape at the edges, or use a flathead screwdriver to pop out staples.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 7 Mar. 2025
Experimental reenactments suggested that, at Little Muck Shelter, trimming ostrich-eggshell beads before perforating them was slightly more successful than perforating before trimming.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025
The $65 book’s canvas hardcover is perforated to offer glimpses of campaign images and product details.
—Joelle Diderich, WWD, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perforate
Cite this Entry
“Perforate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perforate. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
perforate
verb
per·fo·rate
ˈpər-fə-ˌrāt
perforated; perforating
: to make a hole or series of holes through
especially
: to make a line of holes to make tearing easy and neat
sheets of stamps are perforated
Medical Definition
perforate
verb
per·fo·rate
ˈpər-fə-ˌrāt
perforated; perforating
1
: to make a hole through
an ulcer perforates the duodenal wall
2
: to enter or extend through
the nerve perforates the dura mater
: to penetrate a surface
the wound in the forearm was perforating—The Journal of the American Medical Association
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