as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
she deftly harpooned a shrimp with her skewer and held it over the fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harpoon
David Matthews, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
While David padded toward the bow where two harpoons lay ready, Kim throttled down and the Theresa slowly, almost silently, moved in behind the cruising fin.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
When activated, the harpoon is ejected, penetrates under the skin, and venom is released.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 11 July 2025
The lander is anchored by neither its harpoons, which failed to fire, nor the ice screws at its feet.
—IEEE Spectrum, 12 Nov. 2014
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Verb
Ali reportedly tried to use a handheld harpoon while trying to access the apartment through the house’s front door before trying to break a window and smash his way inside.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
While David padded toward the bow where two harpoons lay ready, Kim throttled down and the Theresa slowly, almost silently, moved in behind the cruising fin.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
When activated, the harpoon is ejected, penetrates under the skin, and venom is released.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 11 July 2025
The lander is anchored by neither its harpoons, which failed to fire, nor the ice screws at its feet.
—IEEE Spectrum, 12 Nov. 2014
See All Example Sentences for harpoon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harpoon
Verb
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But her athletic triumph was tragically dampened by years of abuse at the hands of her husband and coach Jim Martin, who in 2010 attempted to murder her, stabbing her many times, slicing the flesh off the bone from her leg, and shooting her.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
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Harrison stabs Prater with the needle and knocks the billionaire out.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hoijlund and Marcus Rashford have made way for a new-look attacking trident of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko that hope look to fire Ruben Amorim’s side up the table in the absence of a European – or League Cup – schedule.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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Raleigh celebrated with his teammates in the dugout, carrying around the Mariners’ trident, which is given to all players who hit a home run.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The fatal knife wound pierced Martin's sternum before going into his heart.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Sep. 2025
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Hospitals overflowing with patients ripped by shrapnel and pierced by bullets.—
Brendan Rascius,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The match concluded when Breakker hit a spear on Jey to secure the win for his team.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
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The former, with that male colleague, could prove the spear of Disney’s destiny here.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That moment punctured the membrane between past and present for me.—
Michael Jerome Plunkett
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
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Part art, part wishful history, and part showmanship that only careful materials science could puncture.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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During different events, the guards will add white gloves, a black helmet and/or the halberd.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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The retainer then struck her down with a halberd, set the mansion ablaze, and committed seppuku.—
Nicholas Liu,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2024
Verb
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The Indian bucks would climb upon the rats’ huge nests — piles of sticks and rubbish as much as 10 feet high — and jab with long poles till the rats ran out.—
Robert Easton,
Outdoor Life,
3 Sep. 2025
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In a post on X, Massie jabbed House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) for his lack of support over the bill.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a city of 20 million people, where most sidewalks are dilapidated, getting stuck in slow-moving traffic can sound as loud as a rock concert.—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
6 Sep. 2025
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The Caribbean Club This dive bar in Key Largo is stuck in the 1960s in the best way possible.—
Teaghan Skulszki,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harpoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harpoon. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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