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
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Recent Examples of lance
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 July 2025
Flame-retardant foams do little, and fire departments now favor high-pressure water lances or immersion pits.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 9 June 2025
Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
Sirens echoed in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with the nighttime skies over the latter lighted with bursts of yellow as missiles from Israel’s Arrow defense system lanced up to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lance
Noun
The three-lobed ray petals of lance leaf blanket flower, Gaillardia aestivalis, give the flowers a unique appearance.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 July 2025
Flame-retardant foams do little, and fire departments now favor high-pressure water lances or immersion pits.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 9 June 2025
Verb
Robinson, 22, is accused of firing a single bullet that lanced Kirk’s neck during a public appearance on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
Sirens echoed in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with the nighttime skies over the latter lighted with bursts of yellow as missiles from Israel’s Arrow defense system lanced up to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lance
Noun
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Guests learn navigation, shelter building, spear making, and foraging for wild foods, along with fire-starting and astro-navigation techniques.—
Essence,
Essence,
20 Oct. 2025
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Asparagus boasts 89 micrograms (mcg) of folate per four spears.—
Molly Burford,
Verywell Health,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The man accused of fatally stabbing a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee on a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge that could result in the death penalty, court records show.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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Mechanic Paolo Mainardi and dressmaker Antonella Migliorini were found shot and stabbed the following June.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The tricky part is fitting hammer throw, javelin and discus into the equation.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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The senior placed first at the Div. 1 championship in both javelin and discus.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
6 July 2025
Verb
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The moon is covered with about 10 meters of regolith, a mix of dust, ash and rocks punctured by craters and boulders—not pristine landing pads.—
Dan Vergano,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025
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Your skin was punctured by an outside cat.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Produced before the gag order was lifted, the four-part docuseries One Night in Idaho turns its focus to the families, friends and community members still wrestling with the aftermath, offering a piercing look at a case with many unanswered questions.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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The grotesque details—the uncle’s fingernails piercing his hands, the dog’s permanent terror of rabbits—are simply there.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To their right, a woman raised her hand, jabbing her index finger forward and shouting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
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Srinivas, who often jabs the search engine giant, made an interesting point.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Choose your adventure and pick three or pick six from activities not included with admission like apple blasters, paint ball, bungee trampoline, rock wall, mechanical bull, fountain drink, fudge, snow cone, animal feed and cookies.—
Katie Nixon,
Nashville Tennessean,
22 Oct. 2025
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Imagine being able to pick fresh oranges right outside your back door, or even better right inside your kitchen.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Actors like Eric Bogosian and Jason Schwartzman waltz in and schmooze it up as vampires living their best afterlives, completely overshadowing Denton, who’s stuck in noob-human mode and doesn’t progress much past that.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
25 Oct. 2025
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Take two mint crowns, lightly bruise them with your fingers, and stick them against the inside close to the straw.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lance. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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