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
ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2025
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
Book Marks
july 17, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Gross broke his femur, three ribs and punctured his lung.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for puncture
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Noun
But the ship struck the iceberg from the side, causing a series of punctures along the hull across 18 feet, affecting six of the compartments.
—ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2025
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
Verb
The punctum keeps returning, no matter how hard Dyer tries to puncture it.
—Book Marks
july 17, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Gross broke his femur, three ribs and punctured his lung.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 14 July 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 29 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
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