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

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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
One big debate about ribs is whether to remove the thin membrane on the back of the bones, which can have a chewy texture and prevent the sauce from penetrating the meat. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026 Investigators used human-remains detection dogs, ground-penetrating radar, aerial searches during the three-decade investigation, the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office said, according to the outlets. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 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
  • Her version is louder and more biting, but never at the sacrifice of the track’s spirit.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In 2022, Lee County’s Mosquito Control District decided to try aiming radiation at mosquitoes instead, specifically the biting, disease-carrying kind — Aedes aegypti.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of biting
Verb
  • The gang had orchestrated a $40 million fraud scheme that was based on accessing the ATM machines.
    — Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • This feature is actively rolling out across iOS 27 via Apple Intelligence (though accessing camera recording history requires an iCloud subscription).
    — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of accessing
Adjective
  • The second episode will examine her interventions on Scottish independence, feminism, free speech, and gender identity, which place her at the heart of increasingly bitter online exchanges.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The incident inspired multiple memorial meme coins, forensic scrutiny of video footage, and bitter anti-Waymo sentiment.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitter
Verb
  • Another piece sliced through his salivary gland before bouncing off his jaw and piercing the back of his neck, severing an artery and embedding in a vertebra.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The most impressive is the national park’s namesake, El Teide, a cloud-piercing volcano at around 12,200 feet high—Spain’s tallest peak.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of piercing
Adjective
  • Aldabra’s landscape consists of sharp coral and thick, tangled vegetation.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The continuing tremors represented a sharp increase from the more than 47 aftershocks reported by Rivera during a Friday afternoon news conference.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of sharp
Verb
  • Indeed, fragrance has been a bright spot, posting a 10 percent increase for fiscal year 2026, and Tom Ford Beauty and Jo Malone London entering the pantheon of billion-dollar brands.
    — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • There is no electricity, running water or internet and, Grabowske argues, no plausible route for a vehicle entering from Mexico.
    — Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of entering

Browse Nearby Words

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 15 Oct. 2026.

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