as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
an icy, penetrating rain that made you feel really miserable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Francesca Krempa, StyleCaster, 4 Oct. 2025
Try Oribe’s Styling Butter Curl Enhancing Crème, made with olive and avocado oils to attain deeply penetrating hydration.
—Talia Gutierrez, Glamour, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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
The magnesium spray helps keep your Activator Gel moist during session while easing post-workout soreness by penetrating its nutrients deep into the skin.
—Francesca Krempa, StyleCaster, 4 Oct. 2025
Try Oribe’s Styling Butter Curl Enhancing Crème, made with olive and avocado oils to attain deeply penetrating hydration.
—Talia Gutierrez, Glamour, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penetrating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penetrating
Adjective
-
But usually the administration official doesn’t fight back in such a biting way.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Over nearly three decades, Baumbach has built a career chronicling families in crisis and artists at the crossroads, his films combining biting wit with an unflinching emotional honesty.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
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,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Carmakers face tariffs and challenges accessing crucial materials.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As crews work to clear out debris and get supplies to the remote region, they’ll be forced in a few short weeks to contend with Alaska’s bitter winter weather, including cold temperatures and potentially icy conditions.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Echinacea tea has an earthy, slightly bitter, herbal flavor.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While the mother-daughter duo were out in Rome in September, the Kardashians star was criticized for letting North wear a dermal piercing on her middle finger.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The current Gators football era is reaching an ear-piercing crescendo.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Riding the ‘Bus’ Filip Gustavsson was really sharp again, giving the Wild a chance by keeping it close.—
Joe Smith,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The brow of the mountain represents Budj Bim’s forehead, the sharp basalt scoria rocks are the giant’s teeth, and the lava flows are his blood, which poured over the land.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This year, Spirit Halloween is extending over 20 contracts to support the expansion of Spirit Christmas, now entering its second year.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The aim is to drill the first well slowly, entering five different geologic zones and testing for oil and gas in each of them.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penetrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penetrating. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share