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
Matthew Herper, STAT, 30 Apr. 2026
If Bruce Springsteen’s greatest gift was mythologizing the existential open graves swallowing up blue-collar workers, Mellencamp’s was his piercing ability to at once celebrate and dismantle agrarian fantasy.
—Literary Hub, 29 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
The salty sea captain beard and the piercing stare, perfect for magazine covers, did not hurt.
—Matthew Herper, STAT, 30 Apr. 2026
If Bruce Springsteen’s greatest gift was mythologizing the existential open graves swallowing up blue-collar workers, Mellencamp’s was his piercing ability to at once celebrate and dismantle agrarian fantasy.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 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
-
One of the loudest cheers came when Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair was shown on the video board.—
Ian Harrison,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
He was pulled for lefty Tyler Samaniego and walked off the mound to loud boos from the Fenway Park crowd.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Sheriff’s deputies even used ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs to search Ruben Flores’ Arroyo Grande property in 2021.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Susan Flores’ Arroyo Grande home has been searched multiple times during the 30-year investigation, but Parkinson said there have since been advances in the soil science and the ground-penetrating radar investigators are now using to scour the property.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Brown declared, pulling a handle that started drilling the first hole of soil tests for a subway that planners estimated could be built in just three years.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
For producers, prices were high enough to turn a profit but not high enough to justify sending a bunch of drilling rigs out to boost production.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The man was later convicted of stabbing his girlfriend and is serving 15 years in prison for the attack.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Preliminary information indicated the stabbing victim may have been mistaken for another person, police said.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Sara Duterte and President Marcos were running mates in a whirlwind alliance in the 2022 election but have since had a bitter falling out.—
Jim Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Another defeat and the same bitter taste of Thunder second-half dominance.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
10 May 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
-
Before entering high school, Andrew’s Sean Gagen had a choice to make.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
The 6-8 Barlow, who averaged just under nine postseason minutes per game off the bench entering Game 2, totaled 16 minutes Wednesday.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piercing. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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