pierce

verb \ ˈpirs \

|Updated on: 6 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: pierce in a Sentence

Definition of pierce

pierced; piercing

transitive verb

1 a : to run into or through as a pointed weapon does : stab

b : to enter or thrust into sharply or painfully

2 : to make a hole through : perforate

3 : to force or make a way into or through

4 : to penetrate with the eye or mind : discern

5 : to penetrate so as to move or touch the emotions of

intransitive verb

: to force a way into or through something

—

piercer

noun

See pierce defined for English-language learners

See pierce defined for kids

Examples of pierce in a Sentence

The needle pierced her skin.
The bullet pierced his lung.
The needle pierced into her skin.
The bullet pierced through his lung.
A scream pierced the silence.

Recent Examples of pierce from the Web

The bullet hit a cellphone in Halili’s coat pocket then pierced his chest, police said.

— joeal calupitan, The Seattle Times, "Philippine city mayor gunned down during flag-raising event," 2 July 2018
The bullet hit a cellphone in Halili’s coat pocket then pierced his chest, police said.

— Washington Post, "Philippine city mayor gunned down during flag-raising event," 2 July 2018
The bullet hit a cellphone in Halili's coat pocket then pierced his chest, police said.

— Fox News, "Philippine city mayor gunned down during flag-raising event," 2 July 2018
Cheers, marching band music, rumbling engines, piercing sirens and horns followed as the parade made its way through downtown Darlington, proceeding south along Main Street and turning left on Shuresville Road.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Darlington celebrates Independence Day," 1 July 2018
When Mary Jane Jones sang the gospel, her colossal voice seemed to travel far beyond her local Baptist church, over the ramshackle homes of West Petersburg, and far beyond the green fields of Virginia, where endless church spires pierced the sky.

— jeff maysh, Smithsonian, "The Counterfeit Queen of Soul," 28 June 2018
Three bullets hit White in the back, piercing his lungs and heart.

— joe robertson, kansascity, "No 'cause or provocation': Father sues Topeka police for killing his son," 28 June 2018
Spit up a good bit of blood probably from where the branch pierced the inside of my lip.

— théoden janes, charlotteobserver, "Where is the Mercedes that a witness says 'seemed to accelerate' as it hit cyclist?," 27 June 2018
The metal’s weakness has coincided with the dollar reaching a near one-year high and the yield on the 2-year Treasury piercing 2.5% for the first time since 2008.

— amrith ramkumar, WSJ, "Why Gold’s Tumble Signals Confidence in U.S. Economy," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pierce.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of pierce

Middle English percen, from Anglo-French percer, from Vulgar Latin *pertusiare, from Latin pertusus, past participle of pertundere to perforate, from per- through + tundere to beat — more at per-, contusion

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

pierce Synonyms

Synonyms

access, enter, penetrate;

Antonyms

depart, exit, leave;

drop in, pop (in);

stray (into), wander (into);

crash, encroach, gate-crash, infiltrate, infringe, intrude, invade, trespass;

Phrases

set foot in, step into;

Synonym Discussion of pierce

enter, penetrate, pierce, probe mean to make way into something. enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in.

- entered the city in triumph

penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance.

- the enemy penetrated the fortress

pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument.

- pierced the boil with a lancet

probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge.

- probed the depths of the sea

Pierce

biographical name \ ˈpirs \

Definition of Pierce

Franklin 1804–1869 14th president of the U.S. (1853–57)

PIERCE Defined for English Language Learners

pierce

verb

Definition of pierce for English Language Learners

: to make a hole in or through (something)
: to go through or into (something) in a forceful or noticeable way

PIERCE Defined for Kids

pierce

verb \ ˈpirs \

Definition of pierce for Students

pierced; piercing

1 : to make a hole in or through or as if in or through

I had my ears pierced.

A stab of fear pierced his heart.

2 : to force or make a way into or through

The sunshine pierced through their faded dresses …
—Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie

Law Dictionary

pierce

transitive verb

legal Definition of pierce

pierced; piercing

: to see through the usually misleading or false appearance of

the object of summary judgment is to pierce the pleadings and allow a judgment on the merits
—J. H. Friedenthal et al.

the Internal Revenue Service may attempt to pierce the plain meaning of the agreement
—W. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

— pierce the corporate veil

: to disregard the corporate entity and reach the personal assets of the corporation's controlling parties : hold the controlling parties (as officers or shareholders) of a corporation personally liable for wrongful acts or debts of the corporation

a…creditor in New York cannot pierce the corporate veil solely on grounds of inadequate capitalization
—R. C. Clark

— compare corporate immunity at immunity

Note: An action to pierce the corporate veil is usually grounded on the corporation's being an instrumentality or alter ego of the officers or shareholders and on some misuse (as fraud) of the officers' or shareholders' control over the corporation.