1
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
that light sweater will be no match for the piercing wind outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loud
marked by a high volume of sound
the frightened child emitted a piercing shriek that could be heard all over the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in penetrating
to go or come in or into
thoughts of revenge relentlessly pierced her mind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drilling
to make a hole or series of holes in
pierced his ears with a needle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stabbing
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 piercing
Kristy Alpert, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2025
And somehow, though a mother’s grief has got to be the most piercing emotion in the world, what Mescal tells us about a man’s grief ends up having more weight.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 Nov. 2025
Alan Bradley, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Sucking pests, such as aphids, have piercing mouth parts that poke into plants and remove the sap, causing the plant foliage and petals to appear discolored, curled or malformed.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Adjective
Its piercing alarm is activated with the simple press of a button, which also turns on flashing strobe lights.
—Kristy Alpert, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2025
And somehow, though a mother’s grief has got to be the most piercing emotion in the world, what Mescal tells us about a man’s grief ends up having more weight.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 Nov. 2025
Verb
In the video, user Jogatina uses a combination of skills to stab their way upwards, eventually piercing the cloud cover and revealing a breathtaking blanket of stars, complete with constellations and other galaxies.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Sucking pests, such as aphids, have piercing mouth parts that poke into plants and remove the sap, causing the plant foliage and petals to appear discolored, curled or malformed.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piercing
Adjective
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The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The 2019 image of the peanut-chomping envoy quickly went viral, begetting a biting social-media hashtag: #LordCacahuates (Lord Peanuts).—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And still, Goodell was greeted by a loud chorus of boos.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Jeffrey Spadjinske, police were called to the meeting on the report that individuals in attendance were being loud and disruptive.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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What else is going on The teenager who singer D4vd is charged with killing died of multiple penetrating injuries before someone amputated her legs, arms and two of her fingers.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Archaeologists used ground-penetrating radar in compliance with federal regulations requiring agencies to consider impacts on historic properties, the announcement added.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Since January 2025, engineers at L3Harris Technologies have been drilling, wiring, and reinforcing.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The company expects to be drilling holes for 10,000 houses annually by the end of the year.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The woman, whose identity has not been made public, allegedly is seen hitting the man believed to be Alexander in the back, resulting in him promptly stabbing her in the hand.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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Prosecutors said Andrews attacked Cressman, 39, striking him with a cricket bat before fatally stabbing him.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Down 3-1 after dropping the first three games, little has gone right for the Penguins against their most bitter rival, and advancing will require an improbable and historic comeback.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The bitter legal fight between Elon Musk and the leading artificial intelligence firm, OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, may come down to a few pages in one executive's personal diary.—
Deepa Seetharaman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The stirring of the home supporters by Rowe, however, made the sound of silence more deafening in the final minute.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Records say the sound created a deafening roar across Copenhagen.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The scoop neckline adds a flattering touch, and the midi length provides enough coverage for entering temples while still allowing for full freedom of movement.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Apr. 2026
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But experts say more vessels are leaving than entering, indicating that shipping operators are mitigating risks by avoiding the area entirely and reallocating flows.—
Henrik Pettersson,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piercing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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