lance

1 of 2

noun

ˈlan(t)s 

1

: a steel-tipped spear carried by mounted knights or light cavalry

2

: any of various sharp objects suggestive of a lance: such as

a

: lancet

b

: a spear used for killing whales or fish

3

: lancer sense 1b

lance

2 of 2

verb

lanced; lancing

transitive verb

1

a

: to pierce with or as if with a lance

b

: to open with or as if with a lancet

lance a boil

2

: to throw forward : hurl

intransitive verb

: to move forward quickly

Synonyms

Noun

• spear
• javelin

Verb

• stab
• puncture
• pierce
• jab
• pick
• spear
• stick

Examples of lance in a Sentence

Noun

the lance struck squarely on the knight's shield, knocking him from his horse

Verb

He had the boil on his arm lanced.

doctors used to lance infected sores, so that they could drain clean

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant. —David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025

The thermal lance Caan uses to penetrate the safe was Santucci’s own burning bar. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025

Verb

Penn, giving a brilliant performance of cold villainy that could win him a third Oscar, is unafraid of lancing the inherent goofiness of a fascist. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025

Robinson, 22, is accused of firing a single bullet that lanced Kirk’s neck during a public appearance on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin lancea

Verb

Middle English launcen, from Anglo-French lancer, from Late Latin lanceare, from Latin lancea

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing lance

• fer-de-lance
• free lance
• lance corporal
• sand lance

Rhymes for lance

• chance
• dance
• glance
• hance
• hanse
• manse
• prance
• stance
• trance
• advance
• askance
• enhance

Kids Definition

lance

1 of 2 noun

ˈlan(t)s 

1

: a weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharp steel head that was used by knights on horseback

2

: a sharp instrument

especially : lancet

lance

2 of 2 verb

lanced; lancing

: to pierce or cut with a lance or lancet

Medical Definition

lance

1 of 2 noun

ˈlan(t)s 

: lancet

lance

2 of 2 transitive verb

lanced; lancing

: to open with or as if with a lancet : make an incision in or into

lance a boil

lance a vein