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
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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
Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
These coatings are typically lifetime-guaranteed to prevent stains from penetrating the porous surface, which can give you extra peace of mind.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 6 June 2026
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
Some are invasive, while others don’t involve penetrating the egg.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
These coatings are typically lifetime-guaranteed to prevent stains from penetrating the porous surface, which can give you extra peace of mind.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for penetrating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penetrating
Adjective
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So Google isn’t trying to release more biting mosquitoes into neighborhoods.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
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Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Boyd, a fourth-generation farmer and longtime civil rights advocate, said generations of Black farmers have faced barriers accessing government loans and agricultural assistance programs.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
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Plus, accessing the storage compartment doesn’t require you to move every piece of decor in the process.—
Rachel Fletcher,
Architectural Digest,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Looking for a silver lining Some analysts fear that the friction over the 250th celebrations, especially the national ones, may end up reinforcing the nation's bitter divide rather than providing a respite from it.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
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This inverts the usual analysis of American politics, that our bitter culture wars will always resolve down to questions like affordability.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
22 June 2026
Verb
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On the other hand, however, take a step back and the world-building is jaw-dropping; on a big screen, Rogue Trooper is almost overwhelming, and Barnard becomes an almost godlike presence by the end with his piercing white eyes (don’t worry, it’s explained).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
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If discovering tiny insect casings or sticky residue, this often indicates those insects with piercing and sucking mouthparts that slowly siphon sap from plants, depleting their ability to feed themselves through photosynthesis.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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Davidson had leveled the same line of criticism against Conley in one of the primary race's few sharp clashes.—
Chris McKenna,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
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In sharp contrast, the UPEPA tracks the existing summary judgment standard which only looks to whether a minimum of evidence exists and does not require the court to decide issues of facts.—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Neighbors said the victim was a condo board president who blocked the suspect from entering the complex to protect a tenant in the building before he was fatally shot.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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Those sites were designed to look real enough to trick people into entering credit card details, passwords or other sensitive information.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penetrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penetrating. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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