pierce

verb

ˈpirs How to pronounce pierce (audio)
Definition of piercenext
1
as in to penetrate
to go or come in or into thoughts of revenge relentlessly pierced her mind

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to drill
to make a hole or series of holes in pierced his ears with a needle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object the saber pierced his chest, releasing a spurt of blood

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb pierce differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of pierce are enter, penetrate, and probe. While all these words mean "to make way into something," pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument.

pierced the boil with a lancet

When might enter be a better fit than pierce?

While the synonyms enter and pierce are close in meaning, enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in.

entered the city in triumph

When is penetrate a more appropriate choice than pierce?

While in some cases nearly identical to pierce, penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance.

the enemy penetrated the fortress

Where would probe be a reasonable alternative to pierce?

The synonyms probe and pierce are sometimes interchangeable, but probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge.

probed the depths of the sea

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pierce Poignant questions hang in the air: Can Orpheus’s love pierce the darkness and bring Eurydice home? —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025 The five-year-old ear-piercing studio is opening a fleet of units this year both in new and existing markets, bringing its store count to 40 by the end of the year. —Layla Ilchi, WWD, 21 Feb. 2025 Even the high end feels woozy and drowned, like foliage piercing a melting frost. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025 The song and album aren’t always as piercing as the couplet, but brevity allows Showbiz! —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pierce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pierce
  1. penetrate
  2. drill
  3. stab
  4. enter
  5. punch
  6. puncture
  7. access
  8. poke
Verb
  • Not so much playing laterally, two-gapping or even penetrating in gaps.
    — Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Since most boar spears had cross-guard features near the spearhead, this was often used to trigger the gun once the spear had penetrated the prey.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of penetrate
Verb
  • The same rescission notice mentions another Biden-era rule that established stronger protections against drilling in the Western Arctic.
    — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Much of the remaining top-tier inventory is already drilled.
    — Dan Eberhart, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of drill
Verb
  • The passenger who shot him was stabbed in the back and lungs and remains in critical condition, according to CBS News.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • In March, a teen was stabbed in the eye during school hours, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the incident who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of stab
Verb
  • With the arrival of Bizzarri and Maggio, the brand entered the American market, with a first U.S. boutique in the Bal Harbour Shops in Miami opening in December.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Miami entered Wednesday with a 5-9 record this season when all three players have been available since Wiggins was acquired from the Golden State Warriors in the Feb. 6 Jimmy Butler trade.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of enter
Verb
  • Inside the courtroom, supporters of For Women Scotland cheered, punched the air, hugged and cried.
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 16 Apr. 2025
  • But the rest of the skit was punching up and I/Chelsea was the only one punched down on … Not Sarah Squirm’s fault and not hating on her.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of punch
Verb
  • But economic realities and the physical limits of beaming internet connectivity from space could puncture the good vibes.
    — Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Having your skin punctured by a needle over and over hurts — and larger body art can require several sittings.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of puncture
Verb
  • Quantum internet removes that risk by ensuring only the sender and receiver can read a message, so not even the hosting platform can access it.
    — Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Around the same time, Salinas police detectives heard from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which received a tip from an online service provider that Betancourt accessed obscene material involving minors engaged in lewd acts.
    — Bay City News Service, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of access
Verb
  • Others, of course, love the show's ability to poke fun at the cultural and political zeitgeist of the moment.
    — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 14 Feb. 2025
  • The success of Deadpool & Wolverine was a bright spot in 2024, but that movie soared to success in part by poking fun at Marvel's failings.
    — Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
Definition of poke

Browse Nearby Words

pier
pierce
pierced
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pierce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pierce. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on pierce

Nglish: Translation of pierce for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

'Blue Moon,' 'Wolf Moon,' and Other Moons to Look for Throughout the Year
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
See All