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
Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
My laugh is loud, if not to say piercing.
—Megan McArdle, Washington Post, 31 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
It’s designed to deter unwanted encounters by attracting attention with a piercing siren and strobe light when the top is pulled.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
My laugh is loud, if not to say piercing.
—Megan McArdle, Washington Post, 31 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
-
The loudest swing of the night belonged to the Cubs’ Michael Busch, who sent a three-run shot off lefty Erik Miller into McCovey Cove.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
-
Students at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill designed and 3D-printed a new version of the vuvuzela, the loud plastic horn that became infamous during past international soccer tournaments.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Some are invasive, while others don’t involve penetrating the egg.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
These coatings are typically lifetime-guaranteed to prevent stains from penetrating the porous surface, which can give you extra peace of mind.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Storage would fill, drilling economics would worsen, and production cuts would follow.—
Dan Eberhart,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
The process begins with a femtosecond laser cutting GaN dielets from a wafer and drilling precise cavities into the diamond substrate.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Concerns about light rail safety in Charlotte remain after the August stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
On Tuesday, Anthony was found guilty by a Texas jury in the 2025 stabbing death of Austin Metcalf at a track meet.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
To be whole without the effort of stretching oneself out, without the exercise that leaves a bitter taste.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Kennedy’s efforts showed how bitter rivals could nevertheless work toward a common goal.—
Abigail R. Hall,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
The bear was almost on top of us when, with a deafening roar, the shot from both barrels smacked into that enormous shaggy head.—
Anton Money,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
The Spurs outlasted New York 115-111 in Game 3, trimming the Knicks’ series lead to 2-1 entering Wednesday’s Game 4.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
-
The Rockies, 25-42 entering Wednesday night’s game, are headed toward their eighth consecutive losing season.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piercing. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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