spear 1 of 2

spear

2 of 2

noun

as in javelin
a weapon with a long straight handle and sharp head or blade the Roman gladiator thrust his spear triumphantly into the lion's side

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 spear
Verb
Humans have used projectile weapons like rocks and spears from the beginning. David Yamane, The Conversation, 1 May 2025 As Ciampa dangled, Dawkins leaped from the ladder and speared Ciampa down through a table that was set up beneath him. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
But Reigns stepped in the way and took the brutal spear. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2025 But in most states, governors delegate that responsibility to local governments — county or municipal — making your local emergency manager the point of the spear when disaster strikes. Kelly McKinney, New York Daily News, 28 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for spear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spear
Verb
  • Promes has lodged an appeal against his conviction and is fighting an additional 18-month sentence, imposed in 2023, for stabbing his cousin.
    Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Andrew James McGann, a 28-year-old elementary school teacher, was arrested last month, accused of stabbing Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, to death and charged with two counts of capital murder.
    Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The senior placed first at the Div. 1 championship in both javelin and discus.
    Brian Roach, Boston Herald, 6 July 2025
  • The triumph marked the Missouri program’s first individual javelin national title and a new personal-best throw for Barrios Bornacelli, shattering a mark of 190-11 set at the SEC Outdoor Championships on May 15 in Lexington, Kentucky.
    Jacob Louraine, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • While slow, its sharp edges pierce deeply for its weight.
    Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Sofia rests on ancient Roman ruins—its skyline pierced by golden Orthodox domes, leafy parks, and boulevards humming with espresso cafés and bookstalls.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Other perennial species are starting to become more widely available at specialty nurseries including lance leaf blanket flower, Gaillardia aestivalis, which is native to the southeastern United States.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 July 2025
  • Flame-retardant foams do little, and fire departments now favor high-pressure water lances or immersion pits.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • Violent arrest left McNeil with a fractured tooth, concussion McNeil's attorneys at the July 23 news conference said the college student suffered permanent injuries from his arrest, including a fractured tooth that punctured his lip and required stitches.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 July 2025
  • What aspects of hip-hop are being punctured right now?
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Trump has also jabbed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, including on Monday after Zelensky pushed back on talks around a territory swap, sparking worries from European officials who fear Trump could cut a bad deal for Kyiv.
    Filip Timotija, The Hill, 13 Aug. 2025
  • And like Booker’s lament that his party has (supposedly) rolled over for Trump, Cruz back then jabbed at Republicans for insufficiently standing up to President Barack Obama.
    David M. Drucker, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • His mother drove him there three days a week and his mother would pick him up after.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Ramos' grandmother picked him up one night, and deputies drove him there the next night.
    JIM VERTUNO AND JOHN SEEWER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • And since this show isn’t called Gareth: Resurrection, Dexter overtakes him and sticks the broken glass into the man’s neck.
    Nick Caruso, TVLine, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The vast majority of the 15,000-plus who packed Pine Knob were happy to stick it out for the sentimental, sing-along ride.
    Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 15 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spear. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on spear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!