penetrating

[pen-i-trey-ting] /ˈpɛn ɪˌtreɪ tɪŋ/
adjective
1.
able or tending to penetrate; piercing; sharp:
a penetrating shriek; a penetrating glance.
2.
acute; discerning:
a penetrating observation.
3.
Surgery. noting a wound that pierces the skin, especially a deep wound entering an organ or body cavity.
Also, penetrant.
Origin
1590-1600; penetrate + -ing2
Related forms
penetratingly, adverb
penetratingness, noun
nonpenetrating, adjective
unpenetrating, adjective
unpenetratingly, adverb
Synonyms
2. keen, sharp. See acute.
Antonyms
1. blunt. 2. obtuse.

penetrate

[pen-i-treyt] /ˈpɛn ɪˌtreɪt/
verb (used with object), penetrated, penetrating.
1.
to pierce or pass into or through:
The bullet penetrated the wall. The fog lights penetrated the mist.
2.
to enter the interior of:
to penetrate a forest.
3.
to enter and diffuse itself through; permeate.
4.
to arrive at the truth or meaning of; understand; comprehend:
to penetrate a mystery.
5.
to obtain a share of (a market):
to penetrate the Canadian coffee market.
6.
to affect or impress (the mind or feelings) deeply.
7.
to extend influence, usually peacefully, into the affairs of (another country).
verb (used without object), penetrated, penetrating.
8.
to enter, reach, or pass through something, as by piercing:
We penetrated to the interior of the Kasbah.
9.
to be diffused through something.
10.
to understand or read the meaning of something.
11.
to have a deep effect or impact on someone.
Origin
1520-30; < Latin penetrātus (past participle of penetrāre), equivalent to penet-, variant stem of penitus deep down + -r- (probably by analogy with intus inside: intrāre to enter) + -ātus + -ate1
Related forms
penetrator, noun
prepenetrate, verb (used with object), prepenetrated, prepenetrating.
unpenetrated, adjective
Synonyms
1. See pierce. 4. fathom, discern. 6. touch.
Examples from the web for penetrating
  • In other words, he is trained only to see the skin of knowledge, without ever penetrating to the wisdom that lies beneath it.
  • Intelligence is penetrating the darkest corners of the globe.
  • His tenderness penetrating aether, soft prayer on the airwaves.
  • Nearly all her perceptions are tinged with penetrating sense of the contrasts in human vicissitude.
  • Apparently naive questions can often be the start of quite penetrating and profound explorations.
  • With no words and no art, without a penetrating and synthesizing process of thought, for me a butterfly would remain incomplete.
  • penetrating the barrel would have required multiple hits on both sides of the barrel's wall.
  • These tiny structures create air pockets that help suspend liquids and prevent them from penetrating to the surface.
  • It can be used as a ground penetrating bunker buster.
  • And it is a reason for reading this penetrating, wide-ranging and unflinching biography.
British Dictionary definitions for penetrating

penetrating

/ˈpɛnɪˌtreɪtɪŋ/
adjective
1.
tending to or able to penetrate: a penetrating mind, a penetrating voice
Derived Forms
penetratingly, adverb

penetrate

/ˈpɛnɪˌtreɪt/
verb
1.
to find or force a way into or through (something); pierce; enter
2.
to diffuse through (a substance); permeate
3.
(transitive) to see through: their eyes could not penetrate the fog
4.
(transitive) (of a man) to insert the penis into the vagina of (a woman)
5.
(transitive) to grasp the meaning of (a principle, etc)
6.
(intransitive) to be understood: his face lit up as the new idea penetrated
Derived Forms
penetrable, adjective
penetrability, noun
penetrably, adverb
penetrative, adjective
penetrator, noun
Word Origin
C16: from Latin penetrāre; related to penitus inner, and penus the interior of a house
Word Origin and History for penetrating
adj.

"touching the feelings intensely," 1630s, figurative present participle adjective from penetrate (v.).

penetrate

v.

1520s, from Latin penetratus, past participle of penetrare "to put or get into, enter into," related to penitus "within, inmost," penus "innermost part of a temple, store of food," penates "household gods." Related: Penetrated; penetrating.