pierce

verb

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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With piercing honesty and raw emotion, Jean Smart delivers a powerful monologue in Call Me Izzy, a new play written by Jamie Wax and directed by Sarna Lapine. H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025 The hot nights pierced with cold decisions on young men’s futures. Devon Henderson, Oc Register, 6 July 2025 These are piercing, sucking feeders that can reduce plant vigor and lead to some leaf decline. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2025 But what separates this modern piece of piercing social commentary is just how confidently director Juel Taylor balances those tones while also building a world that’s both surreal and…well, frightening familiar. Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pierce

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pierce was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pierce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pierce. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

pierce

verb
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 meritsJ. H. Friedenthal et al.
the Internal Revenue Service may attempt to pierce the plain meaning of the agreementW. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

Biographical Definition

Pierce

biographical name

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

More from Merriam-Webster on pierce

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