1
as in penetrates
to go or come in or into
thoughts of revenge relentlessly pierced her mind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drills
to make a hole or series of holes in
pierced his ears with a needle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stabs
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
the saber pierced his chest, releasing a spurt of blood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pierces
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
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
Because of the way the director works, emotions tend to be more discussed than felt, although there’s something about Carla’s desperation that pierces through all the soberness.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
Nothing that pierces the skin should ever be used as leverage over a child's opportunity to education and to learn.
—CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
Nicole Kidman's stare pierces the room.
—Jennifer Brett, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Nov. 2025
But the show's greatest asset is its stars, whose endearing real-life friendship pierces through the play’s inherent despair.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
When a leg pierces the surface, capillary forces cause the fan to spread open within milliseconds, creating a broad paddle.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
And who the f--- pierces a 12 year old?
—Catherine Santino, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
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
Because of the way the director works, emotions tend to be more discussed than felt, although there’s something about Carla’s desperation that pierces through all the soberness.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026
Nothing that pierces the skin should ever be used as leverage over a child's opportunity to education and to learn.
—CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
Nicole Kidman's stare pierces the room.
—Jennifer Brett, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Nov. 2025
But the show's greatest asset is its stars, whose endearing real-life friendship pierces through the play’s inherent despair.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
When a leg pierces the surface, capillary forces cause the fan to spread open within milliseconds, creating a broad paddle.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
And who the f--- pierces a 12 year old?
—Catherine Santino, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pierces
Verb
-
To encourage deeper root growth, reduce the frequency of irrigation after seedlings emerge but increase the duration so that the water penetrates the upper four to six inches of soil.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Even a single missile that penetrates defenses and strikes infrastructure such as hospitals, power plants, or universities could impose high costs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Another Arsenal goal kick and Raya, after a customary bit of stud cleaning, drills the ball long.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Wingo and Mosley are both recovering from some nagging injuries suffered during 2025 and haven’t fully participated in offseason team drills.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Milo tries to be a hero, trying to use pepper spray on Morgan, but Morgan stabs and kills him.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Teachers in the Dublin Unified School District took to the picket lines on Tuesday as a strike enters its second day.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Pickett isn’t a threat to Young, who enters an all-important fourth season.—
Mike Kaye
Updated March 9,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
All three appear to assessing damage and talking before Riley punches a rear quarter window on Barber's vehicle, the complaint said.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
After letting other fast men hit out first in the wind, Magnier punches through the middle and there is nothing that rivals Jordi Meeus or Jasper Philipsen can do.—
Andy McGrath,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
In response, Chief Ryan Kinnan said there is an ongoing audit of who accesses the information.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Memory safety issues occur when software accesses or manipulates memory in an unintended way.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But some backpacks are better for travel than others, perhaps designed with isolated shoe compartments, holes to feed your phone charging cable through, jewelry pouches, and special materials that simply wipe clean after picking up germs from public floors.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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The San Francisco 49ers head into free agency with roughly $38 million in salary-cap space — 11th most in the NFL — and holes all over their roster.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pierces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pierces. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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