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
Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
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
Todd Feurer, CBS News, 27 May 2026
Driver and Teller tease out a rich spectrum of sibling emotions; as Irwin’s distraught yet determined wife, Hester, Scarlett Johansson gives a piercing performance.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Adjective
Tyler, the Creator’s Don’t Tap the Glass, ironically, is the least piercing and the most hedonistic, by design.
—Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
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
Verb
According to court documents, Samuelson, 33, was shot three times – one in the left shoulder, once in the right calf, and once behind his left ear, with that bullet piercing his neck and lodging in his spine.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 27 May 2026
Driver and Teller tease out a rich spectrum of sibling emotions; as Irwin’s distraught yet determined wife, Hester, Scarlett Johansson gives a piercing performance.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piercing
Adjective
-
Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
-
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
Adjective
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The style is quintessential Deborah—strong, bold, a little loud, yet classy.—
Rachel Wallace,
Architectural Digest,
29 May 2026
-
Like the Marrakech souks, Chatuchak is a full sensory experience of loud music, the smell of Thai street food and a buzzing, barter-friendly atmosphere.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The patched up, uneven Balboa Stadium track was so hard that regular artificial surface spikes had trouble penetrating it.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
Research has shown that when the device doesn't conform to the face, light just reflects away from the skin surface instead of penetrating it.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
On the way to the next stop, a Tenaris steel plant that produces pipes for drilling oil and gas wells, Khanna suggested his industrial bank would be less vulnerable to political attacks that undermined some of the tax credit regimes that came before.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
-
One of the biggest trends is toward minimally invasive dentistry, which limits drilling when possible.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Advertisement In the fight, Ruben begins to strangle Niall, though Niall protects himself by stabbing Ruben in the side with a knife.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
The 23-year-old man was suicidal and held a butcher’s knife to his own throat before charging at officers and stabbing both Officer Mark Moore and a police dog at an Aurora apartment complex.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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This collection of poems—Orr’s thirteenth—bears bitter witness to environmental degradation, moral corruption, and the aging of a body and of a generation, all viewed from a bird’s eye, wrapped in the language and tone of myth.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
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Latest in bitter back-and-forth The sour words about each candidate’s PAC connections are only the latest in a bitter back-and-forth between the two Democrat women.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
That doesn’t mean the Avs can’t enjoy themselves, feel pride in an accomplishment or revel in the deafening roar when MacKinnon fired the perfect shot at the perfect time.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
-
Records say the sound created a deafening roar across Copenhagen.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There are legitimate concerns with entering into those conversations early, though.—
Antonio Morales,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
Any people entering from Congo under emergency circumstances will be taken into mandatory self-isolation for 21 days.—
Rodney Muhumuza,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piercing. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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