pierce

verb

ˈpirs 

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

Synonyms

• access
• enter
• penetrate

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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 on the Web

While traveling to Saint Luke’s Hospital aboard an ambulance, the suspect allegedly stabbed Hoffman with a knife, piercing his heart, around 1:25 a.m. —David Matthews, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2025

Early Sunday morning, firefighter Graham Hoffman, 29, was in the back of an ambulance transporting a patient to the hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, when he was stabbed in the chest, piercing his heart, according to a press release published on the city's website. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025

Hoffman was stabbed in the chest, piercing his heart, Kansas City Fire Chief Ross Grundyson said in a statement. —Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2025

Graham Hoffman, 29, was transporting a patient following a routine medical call from police on Sunday when he was stabbed in the chest, piercing his heart. —Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for pierce

• fierce
• tierce

Kids Definition

pierce

verb

ˈpi(ə)rs 

pierced; piercing

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 in or through

have one's ears pierced

3

: to force or make a way into or through

pierce the enemy's line

4

: to penetrate with the eye or mind : see through

5

: to stir the emotions of : move

piercer noun

Legal Definition

pierce

transitive verb

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.

Biographical Definition

Pierce

biographical name

ˈpirs 

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