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 of lance

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

Warhorses charge, lances down, crashing through the tilts as lances break on shields and men topple from their steeds. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

While it is widely feared (and often killed on sight) the fer de lance is not aggressive and bites only when threatened. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Jan. 2026

Verb

His maiden first-class — let alone Test — century was confirmed with a tension-lancing scythe over midwicket in the final session, writes Dominic Fifield. —Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

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

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