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lance 1 of 2

noun

ˈlan(t)s How to pronounce lance (audio)
Definition of lancenext
as in spear
a weapon with a long straight handle and sharp head or blade the lance struck squarely on the knight's shield, knocking him from his horse

Synonyms & Similar Words

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lance

2 of 2

verb

as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object doctors used to lance infected sores, so that they could drain clean

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lance
Noun
Bottom cleaners use lances to scrape biofoul off hulls. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 Um dos lances mais bonitos da nossa história. — Stuart James, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Verb
His maiden first-class — let alone Test — century was confirmed with a tension-lancing scythe over midwicket in the final session, writes Dominic Fifield. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026 Asking a question that lanced through his core. — Stephen Humphries, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lance
  1. spear
  2. stab
  3. javelin
  4. puncture
  5. pierce
  6. jab
  7. pick
  8. stick
Noun
  • Reigns flopped into the corner and waited for the right moment to strike with a spear.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The same chargrill produces the usual skewers but also charred okra spears or smoky mushrooms.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of spear
Verb
  • In August 2025, police said, Brown rode the light rail in Charlotte and stabbed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska to death.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2026
  • As an argument started, police said, the other man took out a sharp object and stabbed the 51-year-old in the neck.
    — Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of stab
Noun
  • His deep ball and his javelin toss can easily clear 50 yards.
    — Ren Clayton, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The feeling came again when Wright, who played hockey, netball, tennis and javelin at county level in her teens, turned her hand to rugby.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of javelin
Verb
  • For especially delicate foods, make sure the toothpicks are secure and don’t touch anything that could be punctured or contaminated.
    — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The needle accidentally punctured Taylor’s lung, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of puncture
Verb
  • In 1998, while a student at Gordonstoun, Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall (née Phillips), shocked the nation by getting her tongue pierced at a tattoo parlour in Moray, Scotland.
    — Eva Wolchover, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • This pest injures the host plant by using its piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • At the tail end of their time on stage, the former castmates took the opportunity to jab at the Buffy revival’s cancellation earlier this year.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than immediately running toward his destination on the opposite side of the field, Jefferson jabs at the defender to create even more separation.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of jab
Verb
  • My mother picks me up off the floor, pulling me across the hall, into my bedroom, into bed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Cellphone camera footage broadcast by CBS Los Angeles shows the snake on a beach at night and someone trying to use what appears to be the base of a palm frond to pick it up and toss it back into the water.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of pick
Verb
  • Now my guy is stuck in an insane asylum with a doctor who seems downright giddy to try out some electroshock therapy.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2026
  • With more testy and volatile negotiations sure to come once Johnson presents his full budget proposal next month, the mayor’s $401 million pitch might not stick.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of stick

Browse Nearby Words

lanais
lance
lanced
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lance. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lance

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