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
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Recent Examples of lances
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
Noun
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
Noun
-
Some of the Bindjareb attempted to escape, while others grabbed their spears, and at least five Bindjareb individuals were killed in the resulting skirmish.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 Apr. 2026
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There are bundles of taut chives still topped with blossoms, sweet and tender spears of asparagus, and creamy new potatoes all waiting to be snapped up.—
Editors of Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But this person who was a friend, who owes her career to me, just stabs me in the back.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
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Bautista stabs and shoots his assailants in an operatic eruption of violence that is done in a single, extended shot.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
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
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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
Verb
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Joel, a 19‑year veteran, begins pursuing after another officer deploys a spike strip and punctures the Challenger's tires.—
Kelsy Mittauer,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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The narrower design, combined with the several sharp teeth, effectively punctures through tough pepper skin and hard fruits to cut out the core and remove seeds in a matter of seconds.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Lower the heat to medium-high and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and a paring knife easily pierces a potato, about 15 minutes.—
C.W. Cameron,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Donald Trump‘s effort today to praise his new Homeland Security Secretary and defend him from Jimmy Kimmel‘s jabs kind of backfired.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
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In another moment, long-time rivals Jett and Mane exchange jabs against one another over a livestream as thousands of roarball fans tune in and cheer them on in the comments.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Celebrity book clubs often also try to funnel their high-profile picks into buzzy on-screen adaptations.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
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However, that’s not a reasonable expectation, no matter how many draft picks the Dolphins have.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Once the media sticks its oar in, the real reason for the robbery emerges by degrees.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
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Fuji sticks close to its playbook and delivers a camera that's simple to use, captures instant photos with the same analog aesthetic that has made Instax the instant film of choice for going on twenty years.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lances. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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