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

• penetrate
• enter
• access

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

She was found on the ground near the lifeguard stand with an umbrella stake that had pierced the front of her left shoulder and was sticking out the back of her arm by about 1 foot, Asbury Park Fire Chief Kevin Keddy told ABC News. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 25 June 2025

The scepter pierced the ground of the Huanacaure mountain, and so rose the glimmering empire of Cuzco. —Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 21 June 2025

Other sea spider species, like many spiders on land, will capture and pierce their prey to suck up their internal fluids. —Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025

Iran has retaliated with waves of ballistic missiles that have pierced Israel's defenses, striking residential neighborhoods. —Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 18 June 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)