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
Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Controlled ventilation also helps keep air moving and prevents outside air from penetrating your interior walls and floors.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 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
The furry white marsupials, which waddle back into remote areas — places where humans would not otherwise set foot — are almost like spies penetrating the secret lives of pythons.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Controlled ventilation also helps keep air moving and prevents outside air from penetrating your interior walls and floors.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penetrating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penetrating
Adjective
-
The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The 2019 image of the peanut-chomping envoy quickly went viral, begetting a biting social-media hashtag: #LordCacahuates (Lord Peanuts).—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That strategy also reflects the relative smaller pockets of Chinese AI firms and constraints in accessing cutting-edge chips under Washington’s export controls.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The report finds that the percentage of users accessing satellite technology in the US and Canada has decreased in recent months.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Down 3-1 after dropping the first three games, little has gone right for the Penguins against their most bitter rival, and advancing will require an improbable and historic comeback.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The bitter legal fight between Elon Musk and the leading artificial intelligence firm, OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, may come down to a few pages in one executive's personal diary.—
Deepa Seetharaman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The shortstop broke his bat on one pitch and a shard hit teammate Steve Yeager in the on-deck circle, piercing the catcher’s throat.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
New video captured the horrifying moment a Florida police officer’s body camera stopped a bullet from piercing his chest while conducting a routine investigation last month.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Nikola Katic, a mountain of a defender, all elbows and sharp edges, was terrific before suffering a season-ending injury during Bosnia and Herzegovina’s World Cup qualification win over Italy.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Three candidates are vying to lead Chula Vista, San Diego County’s second-largest city, in the June primary, with the winner set to serve a four-year term atop a City Council that has been marked in recent years by sharp partisan division.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The scoop neckline adds a flattering touch, and the midi length provides enough coverage for entering temples while still allowing for full freedom of movement.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But experts say more vessels are leaving than entering, indicating that shipping operators are mitigating risks by avoiding the area entirely and reallocating flows.—
Henrik Pettersson,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penetrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penetrating. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
