as in stabbing
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
doctors used to lance infected sores, so that they could drain clean
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lancing
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
Penn, giving a brilliant performance of cold villainy that could win him a third Oscar, is unafraid of lancing the inherent goofiness of a fascist.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Sivas begins with apartment blocks and minarets lancing a peach sky shaded with haze.
—Kurt Johnson, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2024
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Penn, giving a brilliant performance of cold villainy that could win him a third Oscar, is unafraid of lancing the inherent goofiness of a fascist.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Sivas begins with apartment blocks and minarets lancing a peach sky shaded with haze.
—Kurt Johnson, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lancing
Verb
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London — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was heckled Thursday during a visit to North London, a day after two Jewish men were wounded in a stabbing attack — the latest in a series of incidents that one of Starmer's cabinet members has called an antisemitism emergency.—
Inaya Folarin Iman,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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An alleged TikTok antagonist is accused of stabbing a 17-year-old to death outside his New York City apartment building, authorities said.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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One thing that tacticians noticed in the closing months of the war was how lighter, faster tanks were effective when used as offensive tools, piercing through enemy lines in order to flank enemy formations.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
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When used correctly, that power can be harnessed for good, heightening the citrus fruit’s bright, piercing notes to soaring new heights.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
Verb
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In Famesick, Dunham says Driver would habitually yell on set, once even throwing a chair against the wall next to her and puncturing the wall of his trailer with a fist.—
Anna Zucca,
Vanity Fair,
15 Apr. 2026
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The tactic has become more popular with smugglers as police on the beaches try to thwart crossings by puncturing the rafts that groups of migrants have to inflate and carry to the water.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another firefighter told investigators Lewin also choked the patient after jabbing his eyes.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
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Evgeni Malkin was good-naturedly jabbing the media for asking about his future in Pittsburgh.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Either apply the product to the back of your hand before picking it up with a brush, or simply swipe it directly onto your cheeks, tapping it in with your fingertips.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
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Beers was also aggressive defensively, picking Stewart’s pocket for a steal in the second quarter.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
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At one point, Davies can be seen sticking her head out of the open window and waving to park officials below.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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For most of her first two seasons, the league treated her like just another player, sticking her on the back of posters and leaving her out of promos.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lancing. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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