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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of piercing
Dwight Garner, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Only Jean-Baptiste could make such a screed so funny, so piercing and so devastating.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 10 Jan. 2025
Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
Even for ear piercing company Rowan, which also offers gold jewelry, the rapidly changing industry may be spelling trouble.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Adjective
What spooks Vara is that A.I. writes what are possibly her essay’s most piercing lines.
—Dwight Garner, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Only Jean-Baptiste could make such a screed so funny, so piercing and so devastating.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
Her jacket featured side lace-up details, while her pants had piercing-like details.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
Even for ear piercing company Rowan, which also offers gold jewelry, the rapidly changing industry may be spelling trouble.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piercing
Adjective
-
But usually the administration official doesn’t fight back in such a biting way.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Over nearly three decades, Baumbach has built a career chronicling families in crisis and artists at the crossroads, his films combining biting wit with an unflinching emotional honesty.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The signs are loud, don’t worry.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
-
On land, louder environments like running alongside traffic might compete a little too much with talking audio – noise-canceling earbuds or over-ear headphones are better in this setting.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Whereas Joseph Mitchell’s pristine artistry and Janet Malcolm’s penetrating eye seemed otherworldly, the elements of what made a McKelway story work were legible to me, albeit polished to their highest form.—
David Grann,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Dramiga died from blunt force and penetrating trauma to the head.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Dart and the Giants should’ve been victorious in Denver, too, but a collapse of epic proportions ensued with Wil Lutz drilling a game-winning field goal to cement the biggest comeback win this season in the NFL.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The match ended after Rhodes was disqualified for drilling McIntyre with his championship.—
Fernando Quiles Jr,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Crime in the city has become the top issue in the mayor's race after some high-profile incidents this summer, including the stabbing death in June of an Over-the-Rhine gym owner in his own home.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Michael Anthony Arredondo, 34, is charged in suspicion of first-degree murder in the June 2017 stabbing death of 25-year-old Evin Paulos.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As crews work to clear out debris and get supplies to the remote region, they’ll be forced in a few short weeks to contend with Alaska’s bitter winter weather, including cold temperatures and potentially icy conditions.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Echinacea tea has an earthy, slightly bitter, herbal flavor.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That was the sound of Blackwell’s game-deciding block, followed by the deafening final eruption from the stands of Allegiant Stadium.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
And now that Survivor 50 has already been cast and filmed, that drumbeat is almost deafening.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This year, Spirit Halloween is extending over 20 contracts to support the expansion of Spirit Christmas, now entering its second year.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The aim is to drill the first well slowly, entering five different geologic zones and testing for oil and gas in each of them.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Piercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piercing. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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