- present participle of penetrate.
penetrating
Americanadjective
Synonym Usage
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.
Companies are boosting their usage of AI, with the technology now penetrating one in five U.S. businesses, per the U.S.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
The long-range Ukrainian drones now penetrating deep inside the country.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
Nothing is more sublime than transitioning from Jimin’s penetrating vocals of “You know how we do!” on “2.0” directly to the deep reverberations of the ancient bell that soothe and reset.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 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
From the austerity and tranquility of her medieval world, the penetrating gaze of this legendary Sybil of a holy nun would exorcise the horrors which materialize before our eves in the name of television.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
