penetrating

adjective
UK: /ˈpenɪtreɪtɪŋ/
US: /ˈpenɪtreɪtɪŋ/

  1. Able to go or spread through something.

    1. The penetrating rain soaked us to the bone very quickly.
    2. The penetrating fog made it difficult to see the road ahead while driving.

  2. Having or showing an ability to understand things quickly and completely.

    1. She has a very penetrating mind, able to grasp complex ideas.
    2. His penetrating questions revealed the weaknesses in our argument effectively.

  3. Loud and clear, often in an unpleasant way.

    1. The penetrating sound of the alarm woke everyone immediately.
    2. A penetrating scream echoed through the empty building with an unpleasant intensity.

Synonyms

piercing shrill astute perceptive stark sharp incisive
penetrating verb

  1. Present participle of penetrate.

    1. The sun was penetrating the clouds after the heavy rain.
    2. The investigator was penetrating the complex web of financial transactions carefully.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "penetrating" in English means: Able to go or spread through something., Having or showing an ability to understand things quickly and completely., Loud and clear, often in an unpleasant way..

The phonetic transcription of "penetrating" is /ˈpenɪtreɪtɪŋ/ in British English and /ˈpenɪtreɪtɪŋ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "penetrating": piercing, shrill, astute, perceptive, stark, sharp, incisive.

Example usage of "penetrating": "The penetrating rain soaked us to the bone very quickly.". More examples on the page.