PIERCINGLY Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

piercingly

adverb

as in sharply

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of piercingly Chef Steven Pham is still simmering his signature Northern Vietnamese-style pho ga, which features a soul-piercingly clear broth, tender poached chicken, rice noodles, and a floating raft of fresh herbs. — Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026 The Towode Door Stop Alarm is a budget-friendly, highly effective safety tool that functions as a wedge door stop and a piercingly loud alarm when activated. — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026 In the opening keynote, president of public broadcaster Arte France Bruno Patino provided a bleak yet piercingly precise evaluation of the industry today. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026 Perched along the Dalton Highway and north of the Arctic Circle, Coldfoot has virtually no light pollution, piercingly clear winter nights, and a reputation among aurora chasers for its reliable solar shows. — Sarah Buder, AFAR Media, 9 Mar. 2026 His lashes are long, the eyes deep-set, large and intense, staring piercingly into you. — Touré, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025 How could the woman who wrote so piercingly about women’s subjugation subjugate herself to not just one but two men? — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for piercingly

Adverb

Georgia, after establishing herself as a non-hands-washer last year (and doubling down over and over again), decided to sharply pivot to become a maven of cleanliness.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 July 2026
Each path promises the same payoff, consistent cold-water immersion for recovery, stress management and mental resilience, but the setup costs, maintenance demands and daily user experience diverge sharply.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

As Ethan, Stock was as perversely alienating as he was poignantly alienated.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
At the very least, the attacks have brought the war home even more poignantly for millions of Russians, shattering Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026

Definition of poignantly

Adverb

Nations like Mongolia, Bhutan, and Nepal are acutely aware of the danger, fearing that not capitulating on the Dalai Lama succession issue could open the door to broader Chinese territorial claims.

— Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026
Virality, however, is not the same as long-term brand value, something ALO appears acutely aware of.

— Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of acutely

Adverb

Yet others — particularly those who identify as Jews through ethnic, cultural or family ties, rather than religion — feel less connected to Israel and judge its actions in the ongoing conflict more harshly.

— David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
The Street graded Meta’s capital expenditure intentions more harshly relative to its hyperscaler peers ( Amazon , Microsoft , and Alphabet ), as monetization of that spend would depend almost entirely on internal demand for compute.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 July 2026

Definition of harshly

Adverb

But these two figures, created by one of our most keenly observant writers, deserve to be interpreted anew.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
The war in the Middle East has strained the global supply of Patriot interceptors — a shortage now felt keenly in Ukraine.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026

Definition of keenly

Adverb

The series proceeds from a premise that immediately calls to mind the darkly comic horror movie The Substance, an underdog 2024 Best Picture contender that earned Oscar nominations for both its director, Coralie Fargeat, and its star, Demi Moore.

— Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
Matthew Rhys landed two Emmy nominations in different categories for darkly comedic and darkly chilling turns this TV season.

— Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of darkly

Adverb

The event was halted after an hour due to fears about her safety, which distressingly encapsulates a tension that the trans Mayan artist has navigated for years.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
The basic themes of Hearst’s life and the novels that dramatize it remain distressingly relevant.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 May 2026

Definition of distressingly

Adverb

What at first appears to be a run-of-the-mill trauma drama about a family dealing with the eldest child’s anorexia nervosa gradually evolves into something odder and more original, even blackly comic, in Ungrateful Beings.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
Saadawi’s unabashedly political, blackly funny contemporary take on the mythos (superb translated by Jonathan Wright, who captures the wry humor and brooding, ominous rhythms of Saadawi’s dark tale) is, however, a true standout in a very crowded field.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2024

Definition of blackly

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piercing

piercingly

pier glass

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“Piercingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piercingly. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of piercingly

adverb

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