penetrating 1 of 2

Definition of penetratingnext
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin an icy, penetrating rain that made you feel really miserable

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

penetrating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of penetrate

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
Russia fired 165 drones at Ukraine overnight, with 24 of them penetrating air defenses to hit targets in seven regions, according to Ukraine's air force. Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026 Trauma patients may require transfusions after everything from car crashes and falls to penetrating injuries, and Denver Health also treats many patients dealing with medical emergencies like gastrointestinal bleeds or those undergoing heart procedures. Tori Mason, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for penetrating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penetrating
Adjective
  • The Chill Factor Perhaps the most biting statistic of the season so far is the temperature.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Morbidly Jewish finds Raanan at his most biting, acerbic, angry, Jewish, and, as always…loud.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The mother of one of the teens reportedly contacted police in California after accessing phone messages concerning the plot, but the Scottsdale police didn’t receive the information until after the break-in, the Tribune said.
    Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Its leader, Tarique Rahman, the son of former prime minister and bitter Hasina rival, the late Khaleda Zia, has since returned to Bangladesh after 17 years of exile and now appears the frontrunner to win.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Their 32 points after 25 games have them one above their Sunday hosts and bitter rivals in 13th place in the Premier League, nine clear of the relegation zone.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Even better, Liu does it all while flaunting her signature bleached halo-dye hairstyle and smiley piercing.
    Jasmine Wynn, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Her diamond dermal piercing was the perfect finishing touch for the emo girl-lite moment.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • That's partly correlation -- healthier people are more likely to work than sicker people -- but staying in the workplace can also help people stay sharp, according to Debra Whitman, chief public policy officer for AARP.
    Paige Winfield Cunningham The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The tension in a luge sled allows athletes to manipulate it just so, digging in the runners and steering with sharp precision around curves.
    Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Computing is entering a period of fragmentation rather than convergence.
    Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The footage, released by the NYPD on Tuesday, shows an officer entering the living room of the home, where Chakraborty was allegedly brandishing a knife.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Penetrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penetrating. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.

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