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Meaning of penetrating in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Classifying Adjective
    1. Definitions
  1. Pronunciation

    US accent

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  1. Classifying Adjective

    penetrating

    Definitions

    1. having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

    Examples

    • « 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 pene »

    Synonyms

    • perceptive
  2. 2. tending to penetrate

    Examples

    • « having the power of entering or piercing »
    • « a toxic penetrative spray applied to the surface »
    • « a cold penetrating wind »
    • « a penetrating odor »

    Synonyms

    • sharp

Famous quotes

  • « If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity. »
    Xun Zi
  • « Love is an attempt at penetrating another being, but it can only succeed if the surrender is mutual. »
    Octavio Paz
  • « It is only the cynicism that is born of success that is penetrating and valid. »
    George Jean Nathan
  • « Is it not by love alone that we succeed in penetrating to the very essence of being? »
    Igor Stravinsky
  • « We worked to develop our own operations to advance U.S. counterterrorism objectives by penetrating terrorist safe havens and collecting intelligence that would inform policy and enable our own operations. »
    Cofer Black

Browse dictionary

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