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 man sustained a puncture wound and was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Queens with a minor injury, according to police. — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026 As blood gushed from deep puncture wounds on his torso and limbs, Singh fought to get away from his attacker. — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
For especially delicate foods, make sure the toothpicks are secure and don’t touch anything that could be punctured or contaminated. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 9 Sep. 2026 The needle accidentally punctured Taylor’s lung, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 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
  • Slicing $50 off knocks JBL’s latest battery-toting heavy hitter into sweet-spot pricing and gives you serious acoustic punch and endless endurance.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The one-two punch of a higher-than-usual tide and weeks of heavy rain submerged South Florida streets this weekend and put the region under a coastal flood advisory.
    — Alex Harris Updated September 27, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of punch
Verb
  • Pour the bean mixture into airtight freezer bags pierced the tip of a knife to create air holes.
    — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
  • One item that wasn’t returned was his 3-year-old daughter’s car seat, which had been pierced by a bullet.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot appeared to be trying to crash the aircraft after stabbing the other pilot.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said one of the pilots stabbed the other and apparently attempted to crash the aircraft, which was carrying mostly Israeli passengers.
    — Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of stab
Noun
  • Her barbs are sharp enough to bring even Regina George to tears.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
  • In April 2021, a tear in the liner of the site’s largest holding pond threatened to breach and flood surrounding homes with a wall of polluted water up to 20 feet high.
    — Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of tear
Verb
  • As his colleagues look on, Brunson, in his desk chair, drills the shot across the room.
    — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Miami pass rusher Chop Robinson drilled Mahomes and landed on him, drawing a roughing-the-passer penalty for 15 yards and a first down.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 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
  • Sometimes only the tips of the reeds and the seed heads were visible, poking above the murky water, and other times the reeds stood fully exposed, with a clear view of crabs clambering around their bases.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Video posted to social media showed one car nearly submerged, with just its sunroof poking above the water, as people moved other vehicles farther from the rising tides.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of poke

Browse Nearby Words

punctuating
puncture
punctured
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Cite this Entry

“Puncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puncture. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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