lances 1 of 2

noun

plural of lance
as in spears
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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lances

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lance
as in stabs
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 lances
Noun
Snow cannons and lances are the visible part of the snowmaking network. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 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 Warhorses charge, lances down, crashing through the tilts as lances break on shields and men topple from their steeds. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026 Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant. — David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 At a handful of locations, these spikes extended out to nearly a meter, looking more like lances than anything needed to ward off a close-in attack. — ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lances
  1. spears
  2. stabs
  3. javelins
  4. punctures
  5. pierces
  6. jabs
  7. picks
  8. sticks
Noun
  • The same chargrill produces the usual skewers but also charred okra spears or smoky mushrooms.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Roasting keeps the spears tender while adding light browning and a slightly crisp exterior for better texture and flavor.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of spears
Verb
  • But before Bane can finish him off, Batman stabs a Batarang into a little knob on Bane’s wrist gauntlet, the one that controls his intake of Venom.
    — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • When Little Death stabs into their victim, there’s a geyser of blood, way more than could fit inside a human body.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of stabs
Noun
  • Humans have been throwing javelins for a few hundred thousand years, yet performance has largely plateaued.
    — R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms.
    — Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Definition of javelins
Verb
  • The incidental findings problem Here is the number that punctures the marketing.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
  • That’s because when a snake bites and punctures the skin and transfers venom into the victim’s body, the venom attacks the skin, soft tissue and connective tissue beneath it.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of punctures
Verb
  • Christmas tree pins have a tiered configuration that compresses rather than pierces the ground (a win for modern synthetic or Mondo tracks).
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • An ice sculpture of a heart includes a tube through the ice arrow that pierces the heart.
    — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 10 July 2026
Definition of pierces
Verb
  • 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
  • Vance, El-Sayed exchange jabs over spouse comments The dispute also took a personal turn as the vice president condemned El-Sayed for comments about second lady Usha Vance.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of jabs
Verb
  • Nordstrom’s Guest in Residence–stocked shelves fully understand the assignment, flaunting chic, everyday picks like the Collegiate Striped Cashmere Polo Sweater, sold in two colorways, and the Ribbed Cashmere Ringer Tee.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Plug into our expert picks for the Best Portable Power Stations of 2026.
    — Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of picks
Verb
  • The progress that really sticks occurs when many stakeholders—most notably, customers—are actively involved in a process of co-creation.
    — Garret Gray, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Joy walks by to get into the walk-in fridge and sticks her tongue out at Gen’s back.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of sticks

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lancers
lances
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Cite this Entry

“Lances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lances. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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