PENETRATING Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

penetrating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpe-nə-ˌtrā-tiŋ

Definition of penetrating

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

So, a new ground-penetrating-radar survey of the area was commissioned by the county. — Oliver Wu, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for penetrating

Recent Examples of Synonyms for penetrating

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

The European Union's top official proposed on Wednesday banning children under 13 across the 27-nation bloc from using social media sites and imposing limits for older teens on accessing the platforms.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
For Atlanta resident Sherran Mumphrey, accessing care for her mother can mean hours on the road and at the hospital.

— Jamal Goss, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of accessing

Adjective

After years of upheaval in Florida State athletics—including a then-unprecedented flirtation with private equity and a bitter legal fight with the Atlantic Coast Conference—the school has parted ways with athletic director Michael Alford.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Of course, Kiffin left, a bitter and acrimonious separation that played out over 14 agonizing days, just as the Rebels prepped for their first College Football Playoff game in history.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of bitter

Verb

Her bulging eyes, her piercing shrieks, her casual yet immaculately articulate cruelty all come together to form a cartoonish villain who’s also a commanding delight.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
After about a minute, Nora pushed Carrillo down onto a couch, broke free and fled through the front door as a piercing siren started blaring from the Ring camera.

— Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 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

The smart glasses users, some in California, allege the gadget captured footage of themselves and family members undressing, going to the bathroom, having sex and entering passwords.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Since no one reported seeing any suspicious individuals entering or leaving the Borden property that morning, police were led to believe the killer must have already been inside the home.

— Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of entering

Browse Nearby Words

penetrates

penetrating

penetration

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Style

“Penetrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penetrating. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of penetrating

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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