penetrating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpe-nə-ˌtrā-tiŋ How to pronounce penetrating (audio)
Definition of penetratingnext
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin an icy, penetrating rain that made you feel really miserable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

penetrating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of penetrate
as in accessing
to go or come in or into a needle penetrated the heavy canvas only with great effort

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 penetrating
Adjective
Those pictures are much more penetrating then the pictures of walls with bullet holes. — Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2023 Nachmanides takes a different approach and offers perhaps the most penetrating psychological insight. — Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2022
Verb
Concrete is mixed with a crystalline, waterproof powder that blocks water from penetrating into it, protecting structures and extending their life. — Dorany Pineda, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 His schemes prioritize a fast, penetrating front four to generate pressure without relying on heavy blitzing. — Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for penetrating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penetrating
  1. biting
  2. accessing
  3. bitter
  4. piercing
  5. sharp
  6. entering
Adjective
  • The pacing is more frenetic, the narration more biting, the flashbacks more jarring, and the comedowns much harsher.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
  • Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 June 2026
Definition of biting
Verb
  • Additionally, the options available to consumers for accessing products in other countries can sometimes also cost more than alternatives.
    — Karen Koehler, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026
  • And in North Carolina, a police officer was charged with unlawfully accessing computers after allegedly using her department’s license plate reader system to look up the vehicle of her boyfriend’s ex-wife 31 times, including twice while off duty.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of accessing
Adjective
  • These included bitter title fights and tangles with his former teammate Nico Rosberg, plus flashpoints with Valtteri Bottas and Russell.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • At Joontos, the chefs concoct dishes such as the batata harra, which recalls patatas bravas with black lime—a pervasive, earthy-bitter top note in Saudi cuisine.
    — Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of bitter
Verb
  • But, even more specifically, the story is in dialogue with the British artist David Austen’s minimal and piercing drawings.
    — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Possible options include ammunition designed for varied levels of impact, including armor-piercing configurations.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of piercing
Adjective
  • Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy, one of the two female directors competing for the Golden Lion this year, in Venice with a sharp, searing analysis of the women thrown to the wolves in the aftermath of World War II.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The fruits are enjoyed by birds, and deer tend to avoid this shrub, most likely due to the sharp spines.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of sharp
Verb
  • Trading innovation goes to the birds As regional stock exchanges began to crop up, so did arbitrage opportunities—that is, chances to buy or sell an asset in one market, then lock in a profit by entering the opposite order in another.
    — Brian Lund, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026
  • After a bittersweet season that saw United reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time, but fail to qualify for this season’s edition, the club is entering a new era.
    — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of entering

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penetrates
penetrating
penetration
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Cite this Entry

“Penetrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penetrating. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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