penetrating

adjective

pen·​e·​trat·​ing ˈpe-nə-ˌtrā-tiŋ How to pronounce penetrating (audio)
1
: having the power of entering, piercing, or pervading
a penetrating shriek
2
: acute, discerning
penetrating insights into life
penetratingly adverb

Examples of penetrating in a Sentence

She is one of our most penetrating and provocative critical thinkers. an author famous for her penetrating social commentary a penetrating account of what really happened during the crisis flowers that give off a penetrating perfume
Recent Examples on the Web Those pictures are much more penetrating then the pictures of walls with bullet holes. Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2023 Berne’s fifth novel is an ever-deepening story of past deeds blighting the present, and it’s a penetrating study of family relationships crippled by secrets. Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 28 Dec. 2022 Kamitani is one of the world’s leading experts on the visual cortex, the part of the brain that processes what the eyes see, and fMRI is one of his most penetrating instruments. Jonathon Keats, Discover Magazine, 13 Nov. 2019 Nachmanides takes a different approach and offers perhaps the most penetrating psychological insight. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2022 That is irrefutable thanks to the bipartisan January 6th committee’s powerful and penetrating report released on Thursday. Maya Wiley, The New Republic, 23 Dec. 2022 Even the most penetrating rhetoric is not an anti-missile defense system. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2022 Coming out of the pandemic, most organizations are willing to conduct a more penetrating examination of conscience, identify their gaps, and then work to close those gaps. Timothy R. Clark, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2022 However, Lewis is a speedy and penetrating lead-guard who can break down defenses off the dribble and get to the basket. Morten Jensen, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penetrating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of penetrating was in 1580

Dictionary Entries Near penetrating

Cite this Entry

“Penetrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penetrating. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

penetrating

adjective
pen·​e·​trat·​ing
1
: having the power of entering or piercing
penetrating cold
2
: acute sense 3, discerning
a penetrating mind
penetratingly
-ˌtrāt-iŋ-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

penetrating

adjective
pen·​e·​trat·​ing
: having the power of entering, piercing, or pervading
treat hemorrhage from both penetrating injury and blunt traumaJournal of the American Medical Association
penetratingly adverb

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