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
Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
My piercing call seemed absorbed by the heavy moisture, trapping even the echo I’d been accustomed to hearing.
—Jim Tschetter, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
When the sun goes down, three beams of light will illuminate the sky over the town that was, piercing the darkness that this time last year was lit with the unholy glow of a fire raging, with no end in sight.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Adjective
And on Saturday, another bout with foul trouble left him with a permanently piercing scowl.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
My piercing call seemed absorbed by the heavy moisture, trapping even the echo I’d been accustomed to hearing.
—Jim Tschetter, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
Months after garnering online buzz over her finger piercing in September, the 12-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West debuted a pair of new body modifications on her social media.
—Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
When the sun goes down, three beams of light will illuminate the sky over the town that was, piercing the darkness that this time last year was lit with the unholy glow of a fire raging, with no end in sight.
—Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piercing
Adjective
-
The Chill Factor Perhaps the most biting statistic of the season so far is the temperature.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Morbidly Jewish finds Raanan at his most biting, acerbic, angry, Jewish, and, as always…loud.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Video footage that appeared to be taken at the scene captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Some of the loudest critics of the idea come from Indigenous communities, whose treaties with the Canadian state are older than the province of Alberta.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Infrared heating pads are even better than standard heating pads, penetrating the skin more deeply for more significant healing effects.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Russia fired 165 drones at Ukraine overnight, with 24 of them penetrating air defenses to hit targets in seven regions, according to Ukraine's air force.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Participants can watch Forest Preserve District naturalists demonstrate how to tap a maple tree, then try drilling and setting their own tap, according to a press release.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In its pitch to investors, Fervo includes talking points about how next-generation geothermal uses drilling technology from the oil and gas industry.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
He’s suspected of stabbing 30-year-old mom Eliza Morales about 70 times, killing her and her unborn child before setting her home on fire, prosecutors have alleged in court.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
North Carolina lawmakers have called a federal judge’s order locking them out of the ongoing criminal investigative file on the August Charlotte light rail stabbing unconstitutional.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This is a fairly faithful rendition of the original, with bushy broccoli rabe as the bitter green of choice.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
After their murders, their families sat in the bitter cold and grieved, waiting for the prime minister, Imran Khan, to come and mourn with them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Young’s ending is greeted with a deafening round of applause.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
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The ensuing outcry from the public, including from alt-media figures such as Joe Rogan, was deafening, and Kimmel quickly returned to the air.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Employees of the consulate stopped the agent from entering, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday in a statement.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Over the last several days, many Americans have seen upsetting, and often violent, images and videos of protests in Minneapolis amid a flood of ICE agents entering the city for a federal immigration enforcement operation.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piercing. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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