penetrating
Americanadjective
Related Words
See acute.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of penetrating
First recorded in 1590–1600; penetrat(e) + -ing 2
Vocabulary lists containing penetrating
"Animal Wisdom" and "The Last Wolf," Vocabulary from the poems
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Skellig
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Insightful
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Pappalardo’s “Boomtown,” alas, offers us no such penetrating insights.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
In terms of penetrating the code of silence, “the police are easier to crack than firefighters,” she added.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
To study its terrain, scientists must rely on radar imaging capable of penetrating the cloud layer.
From Science Daily • Feb. 12, 2026
"My eyes nearly popped out of my skull," said project lead Dr Alex Langlands, after ground penetrating radar revealed the "huge structure" in Margam Country Park.
From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026
“You already know about alchemy. It is about penetrating to the Soul of the World, and discovering the treasure that has been reserved for you.”
From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
