1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Penetrate.

2. (a.) Having the power of entering, piercing, or pervading; sharp; subtle; penetrative; as, a penetrating odor.

3. (a.) Acute; discerning; sagacious; quick to discover; as, a penetrating mind.

Siberian absorbing acerb acerbate acerbic acid acidic acidulent acidulous acrid acrimonious acute algid apperceptive appercipient arctic argute asperous astringent astute below zero biting bitter bitterly cold bleak boreal brisk brumal caustic clear-cut clever cogent cold cold as charity cold as death cold as ice cold as marble corroding corrosive creaky crisp cutting deafening deep deep-felt deepgoing discerning discriminating double-edged driving ear-piercing ear-splitting edged effective escharotic farseeing farsighted fierce forceful forcible foreseeing foresighted forethoughted forethoughtful freezing freezing cold frigid gelid glacial gutsy harsh heartfelt hibernal hiemal homefelt howling hyperborean ice-cold ice-encrusted icelike icy imperative impressive incisive inclement indelible ingoing intelligent intense irritating keen keening longheaded longsighted loud mordacious mordant nervous nipping nippy nose-piercing nose-tickling numbing perceptive percipient perspicacious perspicuous pervading pervasive piercing pinching piping piquant poignant powerful profound provident punchy pungent quick quick-witted raw reedy reeking rigorous rough sagacious scathing scorching screaky screeching screechy searching sensational sensitive severe sharp sharp-sighted sharp-witted shrieking shrieky shrill sinewed sinewy slashing sleety slushy smart snappy sour squeaking squeaky stabbing stinging stone-cold strident striking stringent strong strong-scented strong-smelling subzero suffocating supercooled tart telling thin thundering trenchant ululant understanding vehement vigorous violent virulent vital vitriolic wailing whining whistling winterbound winterlike wintery wintry withering