Dictionary Definition
penetrating adj
1 having or demonstrating ability to recognize or
draw fine distinctions; "an acute observer of politics and
politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike reasoning"; "as
sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"; "penetrating insight";
"frequent penetrative observations" [syn: acute, discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrative, piercing, sharp]
2 tending to penetrate; having the power of
entering or piercing; "a toxic penetrative spray applied to the
surface"; "a cold penetrating wind"; "a penetrating odor" [syn:
penetrative]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
Adjective
- able to pierce or penetrate
- The skunk produces a penetrating odor.
- demonstrating
acute or keen understanding
- His novel shows a penetrating insight into the criminal mind.
Translations
able to pierce or penetrate
- Finnish: läpitunkeva, viiltävä
demonstrating keen understanding
- Finnish: viiltävä, syvällinen
Verb
penetrating- present participle of penetrate
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
Siberian, absorbing, acerb, acerbate, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulent, acidulous, acrid, acrimonious, acute, algid, apperceptive, appercipient, arctic, argute, asperous, astringent, astute, below zero, biting, bitter, bitterly cold, bleak, boreal, brisk, brumal, caustic, clear-cut, clever, cogent, cold, cold as charity, cold as
death, cold as ice, cold as marble, corroding, corrosive, creaky, crisp, cutting, deafening, deep, deep-felt, deepgoing, discerning, discriminating,
double-edged, driving,
ear-piercing, ear-splitting, edged, effective, escharotic, farseeing, farsighted, fierce, forceful, forcible, foreseeing, foresighted, forethoughted, forethoughtful, freezing, freezing cold,
frigid, gelid, glacial, gutsy, harsh, heartfelt, hibernal, hiemal, homefelt, howling, hyperborean, ice-cold,
ice-encrusted, icelike,
icy, imperative, impressive, incisive, inclement, indelible, ingoing, intelligent, intense, irritating, keen, keening, longheaded, longsighted, loud, mordacious, mordant, nervous, nipping, nippy, nose-piercing,
nose-tickling, numbing,
perceptive, percipient, perspicacious, perspicuous, pervading, pervasive, piercing, pinching, piping, piquant, poignant, powerful, profound, provident, punchy, pungent, quick, quick-witted, raw, reedy, reeking, rigorous, rough, sagacious, scathing, scorching, screaky, screeching, screechy, searching, sensational, sensitive, severe, sharp, sharp-sighted,
sharp-witted, shrieking, shrieky, shrill, sinewed, sinewy, slashing, sleety, slushy, smart, snappy, sour, squeaking, squeaky, stabbing, stinging, stone-cold, strident, striking, stringent, strong, strong-scented,
strong-smelling, subzero, suffocating, supercooled, tart, telling, thin, thundering, trenchant, ululant, understanding, vehement, vigorous, violent, virulent, vital, vitriolic, wailing, whining, whistling, winterbound, winterlike, wintery, wintry, withering