penetrating

Adjective

Synonyms: acute discriminating incisive keen knifelike penetrative piercing sharp

WordNet 3.0

Adjective (2)

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”Synonyms: acute discriminating incisive keen knifelike penetrative piercing sharp
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”Synonyms: penetrative

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Penetrating \Pen"e*tra`ting\, a.

1.Having the power of entering, piercing, or pervading; sharp; subtile; penetrative; as, a penetrating odor. [1913 Webster]

2.Acute; discerning; sagacious; quick to discover; as, a penetrating mind. [1913 Webster]

Penetrate \Pen"e*trate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Penetrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Penetrating.] [L. penetratus, p. p. of penetrare to penetrate; akin to penitus inward, inwardly, and perh. to pens with, in the power of, penus store of food, innermost part of a temple.]

1.To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to effect an entrance into; to pierce; as, light penetrates darkness. [1913 Webster]

2.To affect profoundly through the senses or feelings; to touch with feeling; to make sensible; to move deeply; as, to penetrate one's heart with pity. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

The translator of Homer should penetrate himself with a sense of the plainness and directness of Homer's style.— M. Arnold.[1913 Webster]

3.To pierce into by the mind; to arrive at the inner contents or meaning of, as of a mysterious or difficult subject; to comprehend; to understand. [1913 Webster]

Things which here were too subtile for us to penetrate.— Ray.[1913 Webster]