Meaning & use

penetrative

adjective·Advanced

Last updated

Able to penetrate or pass into something; also used to describe insight that gets to the heart of a matter.

See it in a sentence

The drill's penetrative force allowed it to bore through solid rock.

Her penetrative analysis exposed flaws in the argument that others had missed.

A note on using this word

Beyond its literal, physical sense, "penetrative" is often used figuratively to praise sharp, insightful thinking.

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