puncture

1 of 2

noun

punc·​ture ˈpəŋk-chər How to pronounce puncture (audio)
1
: an act of puncturing
2
: a hole, wound, or perforation made by puncturing
3
: a minute depression

puncture

2 of 2

verb

punctured; puncturing ˈpəŋk-chə-riŋ How to pronounce puncture (audio)
ˈpəŋk-shriŋ

transitive verb

1
: to pierce with or as if with a pointed instrument or object
2
: to make useless or ineffective as if by a puncture : deflate

Examples of puncture in a Sentence

Noun a slight puncture of the skin a leak caused by several small punctures in the rubber gasket Verb a nail punctured the tire I could never puncture my own skin with a hypodermic needle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Galante is being treated for puncture wounds and lacerations to her head, neck, face, and arm, as well as broken bones in her face, per her surgeon, Dr. Jennifer Chen, reports CBS News. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 The tubeless tire design adds puncture resistance, while the frame is made from sturdy aviation aluminum alloy and ultralight carbon fiber. Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2024 Radiofrequency energy, which delivers heat deep into the tissue, is paired with microneedling, a process that involves creating tiny punctures in the surface of the skin (a lot like aerating the lawn). Ahmed Zambarakji, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2024 The catheter is then taken out, and the puncture heals on its own. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 4 Jan. 2024 Holly Jolly’s owners quickly got her to the veterinarian, where she was treated for puncture wounds, scratches and an injury that required stitches. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024 Enlarge / Wheel changes are a regular part of a Formula E race, but the crew needs to be able to quickly swap a wheel in case of a puncture. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 28 July 2023 May was unarmed and cooperated with officers, according to the ACLU of Southern California, but the encounter still ended with a police dog biting him numerous times, causing serious puncture wounds in his right calf that required hospitalization and left him injured for weeks. Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2024 Raymond Johnson, 59, was found dead with puncture wounds in the Fairlawn neighborhood of Southeast. Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2024
Verb
The location of the seep is not far from the site of a large spill in 2021 that occurred when a ship’s anchor punctured an underwater oil pipeline in San Pedro Bay, sending 25,000 gallons of crude gushing into the waters off Huntington Beach. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 While most of the rounds put unsightly dents in the side of the car, one of them punctured a rear door, leaving an actual bullet hole. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 The song is unlovely and jagged, the melody’s sweetness repeatedly punctured by the squawks of their habitual bickering. Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 But noted short-seller Spruce Point Capital Management aims to puncture MSCI’s halo, issuing a short report Wednesday that argues the company’s weak growth prospects, unsustainable valuation, and dubious accounting and financial reporting choices could lead its stock to plummet 55% to 65%. Will Daniel, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2024 Using a fork or toothpick, puncture the lemons all over. Ali Slagle, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024 The challenge is to not puncture the gravity of the story with the humor. Akiva Gottlieb, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024 Written and directed by Laurel Parmet, The Starling Girl follows Jem (played by Scanlen), a teenager growing up in a Christian fundamentalist community who develops an overwhelming crush on her youth pastor, Owen (Lewis Pullman, also fantastic), that threatens to puncture her beliefs. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2024 The shooting marked the latest setting where Americans saw a sense of safety punctured by gun violence, following shootings at churches, schools, grocery stores, outlet malls and other locations. Nouran Salahieh, CNN, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'puncture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin punctura, from punctus, past participle of pungere

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1675, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of puncture was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near puncture

Cite this Entry

“Puncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puncture. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

puncture

1 of 2 noun
punc·​ture ˈpəŋ(k)-chər How to pronounce puncture (audio)
1
: the act of puncturing
2
: a hole or wound made by puncturing
a slight puncture of the skin
a tire puncture

puncture

2 of 2 verb
punctured; puncturing ˈpəŋ(k)-chə-riŋ How to pronounce puncture (audio)
ˈpəŋ(k)-shriŋ
1
: to make a hole with a point
a nail punctured the tire
2
: to suffer a puncture of
punctured the tire on a nail
3
: to become punctured
worn tires puncture easily
4
: to make useless or ridiculous as if by a puncture
puncture an argument

Medical Definition

puncture

1 of 2 noun
punc·​ture ˈpəŋ(k)-chər How to pronounce puncture (audio)
1
: an act of puncturing
2
: a hole, wound, or perforation made by puncturing

puncture

2 of 2 verb

transitive verb

: to pierce with or as if with a pointed instrument or object
puncture the skin with a needle

More from Merriam-Webster on puncture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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