What does penetrating mean?
Penetrating means Able to pierce or penetrate.
Penetrating
/ˈpɛnɪtɹeɪtɪŋ/ · adjective
Meaning
Able to pierce or penetrate.
Definitions by Sense
- Able to pierce or penetrate
- Looking deeply into; piercing
- Demonstrating acute or keen understanding
- present participle and gerund of penetrate
Example Sentences
The skunk produces a penetrating odor.
As the rest of the film was made on location in the railway yards of Havre and not in a studio, and was given a sound-track of penetrating vividness, this whole production gives the closest possible ring of truth of any film about railways.
He had a very penetrating pair of brown eyes.
His novel shows a penetrating insight into the criminal mind.
Synonyms for penetrating
Antonyms for penetrating
Related Words
Word Forms
- more penetrating
- most penetrating
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for penetrating?
Common synonyms include keen, sharp, perceptive, incisive.
What is the opposite of penetrating?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use penetrating in a sentence?
The skunk produces a penetrating odor.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.