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puncture 1 of 2

noun

ˈpəŋk-chər How to pronounce puncture (audio)
Definition of puncturenext
as in prick
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument a leak caused by several small punctures in the rubber gasket

Synonyms & Similar Words

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puncture

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to pierce
to make a hole or series of holes in a nail punctured the tire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object I could never puncture my own skin with a hypodermic needle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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 puncture
Noun
After a minute of this, the crash of hi-hat punctures the silence. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Mom had lacerations and puncture wounds on her face from the bite. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
Her joy at having another child was quickly punctured by grief, as her 20-year-old son, Daniel, died suddenly three days later while visiting his mother and newborn half-sister in the hospital. — Imani Sumbi, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026 Hull made a dream return to the Premier League after a nine-year absence, beating Manchester United 2-0 to puncture any preseason optimism surrounding the 20-time champions. — ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for puncture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puncture
  1. punch
  2. pierce
  3. stab
  4. tear
  5. drill
  6. jab
  7. perforation
  8. poke
Noun
  • And by the way, with how shifty rookie Emmett Johnson has been at this level, Kansas City may quietly have one of the league’s best one-two punches.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
  • In the fifth round, the champion landed a powerful right-hand punch that knocked Pantoja down.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of punch
Verb
  • In 1998, while a student at Gordonstoun, Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall (née Phillips), shocked the nation by getting her tongue pierced at a tattoo parlour in Moray, Scotland.
    — Eva Wolchover, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • This pest injures the host plant by using its piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • Dydzuhn was punched and stabbed, and suffered severe cuts and damage to one of her eyes, according to NBC Miami.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Whatley invoked the name of Iryna Zarutska, the Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s Blue Line light rail in 2025.
    — Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of stab
Noun
  • Paden’s father, Jim Paden, wiped away tears with a handkerchief at the sight of his son in handcuffs and clad in an orange jail garb.
    — Glenn Rice, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Tight end George Kittle, who caught four passes for a team-high 80 yards and his first touchdown since returning from his Achilles tear, said Purdy’s growing confidence has been evident since the offseason.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of tear
Verb
  • But various companies over the years have drilled and explored the site, building evidence that the mine still has lots to offer.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The company is drilling toward rock measuring 750°F (400°C), where each well could deliver up to 10 times the power of a conventional geothermal well operating at 390°F (200°C).
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of drill
Verb
  • At the tail end of their time on stage, the former castmates took the opportunity to jab at the Buffy revival’s cancellation earlier this year.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than immediately running toward his destination on the opposite side of the field, Jefferson jabs at the defender to create even more separation.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of jab
Noun
  • If swallowed, the magnets can attract each other or metal objects inside the body, potentially causing intestinal perforations, twisting, blockages, blood poisoning, or death, the CPSC says.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Next is the asymmetrical men’s d’Orsay, which features wingtip perforations as well, which outline a double-B logomark on each toe.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of perforation
Verb
  • Flip and continue to cook until the flesh begins to flake when poked with a fork, 1 to 2 minutes.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Don’t bury the rhizomes when planting—the tops should just poke above the soil surface.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of poke

Browse Nearby Words

punctuating
puncture
punctured
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Puncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puncture. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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