as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
an icy, penetrating rain that made you feel really miserable
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
Ground-penetrating radar aboard the rover measured thick layers of sand, sloping gently upward toward the rocky shore, as if washed up by ocean waves.
—Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penetrating
Adjective
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
Verb
The instrument is capable of penetrating up to 330 feet below the surface, but Zhurong did not have to go nearly that deep to hit paydirt.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
Ground-penetrating radar aboard the rover measured thick layers of sand, sloping gently upward toward the rocky shore, as if washed up by ocean waves.
—Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penetrating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penetrating
Adjective
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The word itself began life as a British colonial term, probably a corruption of kutu, a Malay word for lice and other biting insects.—
Bruce Handy,
The Atlantic,
16 Apr. 2025
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But the two-hour, 40-minute script by Jennifer Crittenden and Gabrielle Allan is smart, biting, playful and swift-paced.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Trump's second term kicked off late January with mass layoffs in the federal government, widespread tariffs, an escalating trade war with China and a deportation program that has led to a bitter court battle.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Her coverage has ranged from a rare interview with Mark Zuckerberg as Meta neared its 20th birthday to the bitter divorce proceedings of an Indian software billionaire.—
Kerry A. Dolan,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Justin previously debuted a nostril piercing almost a decade ago with an Instagram selfie in 2016, according to outlets Cosmopolitan and Refinery29.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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There was something stark and piercing in me that was much closer to clarity than to muddle, but calling it a muddle took less effort.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The aviation industry expects the exemption to help companies keep costs down during a sharp pullback in travel spending by consumers worried about slower economic growth and higher inflation.—
Rajesh Kumar Singh,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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The Leadership of Listening For Charest, staying sharp means being constantly challenged.—
Karl Moore,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacramento Bee,
15 Mar. 2025
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Meanwhile, Israel's blockade of aid on Gaza — including electricity — is entering its third week.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penetrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penetrating. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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