as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
she speared a pea with her fork and angrily flung it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spear
Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Vecna gets speared, the monster goes down, the creepy heart stops beating and everyone's alive!
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026
Pão de queijo, as moreish as popcorn, manioc gnocchi, rock-pool sea urchins and Tainha fish, caught by local fishermen who still use traditional canoes and spears, are all served on banana leaves on a wooden table outdoors.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spear
Verb
The word mom speared out of her mouth.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Vecna gets speared, the monster goes down, the creepy heart stops beating and everyone's alive!
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Noun
Her left arm would likely have held a spear, while her right hand may have rested on a shield or held a representation of victory.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026
Pão de queijo, as moreish as popcorn, manioc gnocchi, rock-pool sea urchins and Tainha fish, caught by local fishermen who still use traditional canoes and spears, are all served on banana leaves on a wooden table outdoors.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spear
Verb
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Marcus Semien hit a chopper down the left side, which Jorbit Vivas stabbed at wildly while missing it badly.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Police in Antioch are investigating after a man was fatally stabbed during an altercation at home over the weekend.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The first field events of 2026 are a series of high school girls championships, including discus throw, shot put, long jump, high jump and javelin throw.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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In addition to the heptathlon, Feyerabend competes for the Aztecs in the open high jump and javelin, where she is ranked third in the Mountain West.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This tank, more than any of its Allied counterparts, sent German designers back to the drawing board to produce the next generation of tanks that featured heavier armor and higher-velocity cannons with greater range and armor-piercing capability.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
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In Inverted Tree, Man for Hire (2004), for example, the trunk of a wily branched tree bears a piercing gaze.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The washer includes a spray gun and spray lance, plus a high-pressure hose.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Powered from within, grass seedlings lance out roots and stems, beating any competition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Shloime Rand, 34, was stabbed in the chest outside a synagogue, puncturing his lung, and Norman Shine, 76, who was wearing a traditional Jewish skullcap, was stabbed in the neck at a bus stop.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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By the end of the learning unit, Burton said growth in the children could be seen as their vocabularies expanded to using words such as thermometer, blood pressure and punctured.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The president has kept up his criticism of Leo, jabbing the pope in a May 4 interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on the eve of Rubio’s visit.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
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In the 10 months since, Colbert has not held back, regularly jabbing his network, its new owners’ cozy relationship with the president and reports that his show was hemorrhaging $40 million a year.—
Lacey Rose,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The driving range was packed, families milled around the miniature golf course, and inside, the pro shop had been picked nearly clean of gear bearing the course’s logo.—
Rick Maese,
Washington Post,
4 May 2026
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What number will the Steelers be picking from in the 2027 draft?—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
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And after carrying some double-headers in recent weeks, NBC curiously opted to air only single games on Monday and Tuesday this week (the series openers of Knicks-76ers and Lakers-OKC), and stuck its two other playoff games those nights on Peacock.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
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Some of the chemicals that didn’t stick on carpets were flushed with the industry’s wastewater into local sewer pipes and, eventually, the region’s rivers.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spear. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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