puncture

noun

Save Word

punc·ture | \ ˈpəŋk-chər

Definition of puncture

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an act of puncturing

2 : a hole, wound, or perforation made by puncturing

3 : a minute depression

puncture

verb

punctured; puncturing\ ˈpəŋk-chə-riŋ

, ˈpəŋk-shriŋ \

Definition of puncture (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to become punctured

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about puncture

Keep scrolling for more

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: Noun Dyson started on the pole and led the first 10 of 25 laps before a tire puncture led to his spin. — Dave Kallmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Austin Cindric's frantic dash, and other nuggets from the Xfinity Series at Road America," 24 Aug. 2019 Apparently, over the years, the bag had gained a puncture or two, so by the time our broken freezer was discovered, everything in the bottom layer was coated in defrosted breast milk. — Christie Tate, Washington Post, "Mourning the last bag of breast milk, long after my kids outgrew breast-feeding," 16 Aug. 2019 The punctures appeared deliberate, according to the report. — Jennifer James, Houston Chronicle, "Friendswood police: Fence too tall for man facing multiple charges," 14 Aug. 2019 The car soon exploded, likely following the puncture of the Model 3's lithium-ion battery. — Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, "Tesla Model 3 Blows Up ... Twice ... on Busy Highway," 13 Aug. 2019 And punctures can be extremely dangerous, especially if a tyre blows out at high speed on a motorway. — The Economist, "An airless, puncture-proof car tyre takes to the road," 14 June 2019 The soles are made of a puncture-resistant, waterproof, double-layer polymer/plastic compound and are fused to the sock uppers with no glue or seams. — Los Angeles Times, "Gear that keeps clothes neat, you cool, and your feet and your dog happy," 18 July 2019 The deputy sustained deep lacerations and punctures to his right arm and was immediately taken to University Medical Center where he was treated and released. — Hanna Krueger, nola.com, "Alligator bites deputy while being removed from Luling backyard," 17 June 2019 Eight others nursing scratches and punctures cluster around her. — National Geographic, "Why Zimbabwe’s female rangers are better at stopping poaching," 12 June 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The initial thrill among the servants of being allowed the honor of waiting on the royal family is punctured when the king’s servants arrive. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "Downton, Downton, Revolution," 16 Sep. 2019 The deathly silence was punctured only by occasional police sirens until the day of Eid al-Adha, when soldiers announced on loudspeakers that the villagers could step out for prayers. — Vidya Krishnan, Los Angeles Times, "‘We live like animals': Refugee leader gives Rohingya a voice," 16 Sep. 2019 At Wallasea, the illusion of unspoiled nature was punctured on the July morning TIME visited by a plume of dark gray smoke above the island’s north edge. — Ciara Nugent / Wallasea Island, Time, "The Best Way to Save Nature? More Nature," 12 Sep. 2019 Some shattered glass punctured his left shoulder, causing him to bleed a lot and go to a nearby hospital. — CBS News, "What we know about the Texas mass shooting victims," 2 Sep. 2019 Some shattered glass punctured his left shoulder, causing him to bleed a lot and go to a nearby hospital. — Jeff Karoub, BostonGlobe.com, "Odessa shooting: Here’s what we know about the victims," 2 Sep. 2019 Some shattered glass punctured his left shoulder, causing him to bleed a lot and go to a nearby hospital. — Washington Post, "Mail carrier, high school student among dead in Texas attack," 2 Sep. 2019 On August 12, 1960, Barbara was sedated, and her hips and legs were punctured fifty times with a large-bore needle to extract the crimson sludge of her bone marrow. — Siddhartha Mukherjee, The New Yorker, "The Promise and Price of Cellular Therapies," 15 July 2019 The truck’s front tank was punctured in the crash, spilling about 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel, according to DEC. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "Dalton Highway tanker crash kills driver, spills 2,000 gallons of diesel," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'puncture.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about puncture

Dictionary Entries near puncture

Statistics for puncture

Last Updated

24 Oct 2019

Time Traveler for puncture

The first known use of puncture was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for puncture

puncture

noun

English Language Learners Definition of puncture

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a hole or wound made by a sharp point

: a small hole in a tire that causes it to lose air

puncture

verb

English Language Learners Definition of puncture (Entry 2 of 2)

: to make a hole in (something) with a sharp point

: to weaken, damage, or destroy (something, such as an argument or a person's feelings, pride, etc.) suddenly or in a way that causes surprise or embarrassment

of a sound : to interrupt (silence) in a sudden and unexpected way

See the full definition for puncture in the English Language Learners Dictionary

puncture

noun

punc·ture | \ ˈpəŋk-chər