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
The dog bit the 2-year-old in the leg, leaving a deep puncture wound, according to the affidavit. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026 Photos shared by the family show Claire Macdonel's hand covered in cuts and puncture wounds shortly after the bite. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
Verb
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 One appeared to be punctured, while another had been entirely broken from its base, a Sacramento Bee reporter observed Friday. — Haley Parsley august 22, Sacbee.com, 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
  • The Athletic examines what makes this type of punch special and why Garcia, who defends his WBC welterweight title against Conor Benn this weekend, is equipped with one of the most potent weapons in the sport.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Guadagnino’s next stop is The Conformist (1970) swiftly followed by Last Tango in Paris (1972), the one-two punch that set him up as a major player in world cinema.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of punch
Verb
  • And the beep, beep, beep of the garbage trucks preparing the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for sunrise and another day of tennis pierced the moments of silence.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • At her job, Sofia meets a young, up-and-coming American author (Patrick Schwarzenegger) who seems incapable of answering any question without giving her a long, piercing look first.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • Up to this point, Ghostface victims have been stabbed with Buck 120 hunting knives, crushed by garage doors, shot, electrocuted, and thrown off rooftops in ferocious, balls-to-the-wall Scream fashion.
    — Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The Sheriff’s Office has blamed the crowding in part on Iryna’s Law, legislation named for the Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s Blue Line light rail in 2025.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of stab
Noun
  • Undrafted rookie Khalil Benson will be Patrick Mahomes’ starting left tackle this weekend, in Mahomes’ first game back after an ACL tear.
    — Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Mahomes is on target to start the season despite being just nine months removed from the ACL tear.
    — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of tear
Verb
  • Here against Hull, Suzuki drilled a low pass into Jackson’s feet.
    — Aston Villa, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Naturally, the privilege of drilling your marketing messages into the skulls of TV’s last great mass audience comes at a price.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of drill
Verb
  • 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
  • When handcuffed by investigators, Thakor denied jabbing his wife with a knife.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of jab
Noun
  • With a smooth white leather upper packed with perforations for breathability, the Sport Blue colorway gets its name from the coloring across the sneaker’s midsole and on its branding and details.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The marketing speak simply means that the seat cushion features a soft foam layer on top of a firm base, with tiny perforations that let heat escape.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of perforation
Verb
  • Traditionally, there’s this rendering of hell as a dark cave with fire, and there’s the devil with a pitchfork poking everybody with it.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • With the help of Nollet, Anderson’s hair was blown and teased away from her forehead, with tinges of pink poking through.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 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 12 Sep. 2026.

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