punc·ture
ˈpəŋk-chər 
1
: an act of puncturing
2
: a hole, wound, or perforation made by puncturing
3
: a minute depression
punctured; puncturing
ˈpəŋk-chə-riŋ
ˈpəŋk-shriŋ
1
: to pierce with or as if with a pointed instrument or object
2
: to make useless or ineffective as if by a puncture : deflate
: to become punctured
Examples of puncture in a Sentence
Noun
a slight puncture of the skin
a leak caused by several small punctures in the rubber gasket
Verb
a nail punctured the tire
I could never puncture my own skin with a hypodermic needle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2025
In October, a surfer was killed after being impaled by either a needlefish or a swordfish – another species of fish that can leap out of the water and cause puncture wounds – off Indonesia's West Sumatra coast.
—Dan Radel, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
The dura can be damaged from head injuries or punctured during surgical procedures involving the sinuses, brain or spine, such as lumbar puncture, epidurals, spinal anesthesia or myelogram.
—Danielle Wilhour, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for puncture
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.
Noun
Similarly, Shanidar 3 had a puncture wound to his ribs, which would have likely collapsed his left lung.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2025
In October, a surfer was killed after being impaled by either a needlefish or a swordfish – another species of fish that can leap out of the water and cause puncture wounds – off Indonesia's West Sumatra coast.
—Dan Radel, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Verb
At his best, Towns shoots like an archer, drives to the hoop like a rugby bruiser, and glides on his pivot foot, one smooth semicircle after another, like a grade-school protractor with its point puncturing the paper.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
The dura can be damaged from head injuries or punctured during surgical procedures involving the sinuses, brain or spine, such as lumbar puncture, epidurals, spinal anesthesia or myelogram.
—Danielle Wilhour, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for puncture
Cite this Entry
“Puncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puncture. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
puncture
1 of 2 noun
punc·ture
ˈpəŋ(k)-chər
1
: the act of puncturing
2
: a hole or wound made by puncturing
a slight puncture of the skin
a tire puncture
puncture
2 of 2 verb
punctured; puncturing
ˈpəŋ(k)-chə-riŋ
ˈpəŋ(k)-shriŋ
1
: to make a hole with a point
a nail punctured the tire
2
: to suffer a puncture of
punctured the tire on a nail
3
: to become punctured
worn tires puncture easily
4
: to make useless or ridiculous as if by a puncture
puncture an argument
Medical Definition
puncture
1 of 2 noun
punc·ture
ˈpəŋ(k)-chər
1
: an act of puncturing
2
: a hole, wound, or perforation made by puncturing
puncture
2 of 2 verb
punctured; puncturing
ˈpəŋ(k)-chə-riŋ, ˈpəŋ(k)-shriŋ
: to pierce with or as if with a pointed instrument or object
puncture the skin with a needle
: to become punctured
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share