harpooning

verb

present participle of harpoon
as in stabbing
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harpooning
  1. stabbing
  2. puncturing
  3. piercing
  4. jabbing
  5. picking
  6. sticking
Verb
  • The California woman who fled to Mexico after fatally stabbing her wife, a captain with the state’s wildland firefighting agency, was sentenced this week to 36 years to life in prison, officials said.
    — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In June 2018, McFatridge was accused of stabbing his mother with a spear, authorities have said.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stabbing
Verb
  • The shrapnel tore through the metal surrounding the engine, shattering the window at row 11, leaving a dent in the plane near row 8 and puncturing the body below the wing, as well as gouging and denting the tail, the NTSB said.
    — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • According to the company website, the glove is designed to disrupt sensory nerves without puncturing or burning the skin.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of puncturing
Verb
  • But, even more specifically, the story is in dialogue with the British artist David Austen’s minimal and piercing drawings.
    — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Possible options include ammunition designed for varied levels of impact, including armor-piercing configurations.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of piercing
Verb
  • When handcuffed by investigators, Thakor denied jabbing his wife with a knife.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Years ago, after Jake died, my instinct as a medical student was anger — clenching my teeth and jabbing a pen into my notepad, making a line of inky holes along the margin.
    — Caroline Cherston, STAT, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of jabbing
Verb
  • The level of media attention could also make picking a second impartial jury more difficult, a factor that could influence Cruz's decision.
    — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The wildcard should be about targeting the fixture swings and picking players with long-term potential, rather than chasing points already scored.
    — Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of picking
Verb
  • The most improbable player to win a spot on the Miami’s 53 man roster didn’t merely defy the odds by sticking as an undrafted rookie, the only one of more than a dozen Dolphins to do that.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Continue to cook, agitating eggs and occasionally shaking pan and running spatula underneath to ensure eggs aren’t sticking, until surface of eggs looks somewhat set but still slightly shiny, about 30 seconds more.
    — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of sticking
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.

Browse Nearby Words

harpooned
harpooning
harpoons
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Cite this Entry

“Harpooning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harpooning. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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