If someone gives you a penetrating look, it makes you think that they know what you are thinking. He gazed at me with a sharp, penetrating look that made my heart pound. = piercing
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"
Having the power of entering, piercing, or pervading; sharp; subtile; penetrative; as, a penetrating odor
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"
A penetrating sound is loud and usually high-pitched. Mary heard the penetrating bell of an ambulance = piercing
Someone who has a penetrating mind understands and recognizes things quickly and thoroughly. a thoughtful, penetrating mind
If a company or country penetrates a market or area, they succeed in selling their products there. There have been around 15 attempts from outside France to penetrate the market. + penetration pen·etra·tion import penetration across a broad range of heavy industries
If something or someone penetrates a physical object or an area, they succeed in getting into it or passing through it. X-rays can penetrate many objects + penetration penetrations pen·etra·tion The exterior walls are three to three and a half feet thick to prevent penetration by bombs
If someone penetrates an organization, a group, or a profession, they succeed in entering it although it is difficult to do so. the continuing failure of women to penetrate the higher levels of engineering
If someone penetrates an enemy group or a rival organization, they succeed in joining it in order to get information or cause trouble. The CIA had requested our help to penetrate a drugs ring operating out of Munich = infiltrate + penetration pen·etra·tion the successful penetration by the KGB of the French intelligence service. = infiltration
come to understand pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" insert the penis into the vagina or anus of; "Did the molester penetrate the child?" make one's way deeper into ar through; "The hikers did not manage to penetrate the dense forest