spear 1 of 2

Definition of spearnext

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
Reigns speared Paul, who had clubbed his opponents with brass knuckles. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 Dec. 2025 Serve them as a vegetarian meal or as an appetizer, speared with a toothpick to swipe through the warm tomato sauce. Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
In Old Norse mythology, Baldr, the son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg, was slain with a mistletoe spear. Matt Kasson, Popular Science, 17 Dec. 2025 Researchers from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, in collaboration with the Museum of the First Piasts at Lednica, found the spears. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 17 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spear
Verb
  • The woman who was stabbed is in stable condition, and the man is in critical condition, the spokesperson said.
    Laura Fay, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Early the following morning, Anaheim police officers responded to the intersection of Santa Ana and Helena streets after witnesses reported seeing two men chasing Reyes and one of them stabbing him.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms.
    Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
  • The tricky part is fitting hammer throw, javelin and discus into the equation.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Whistle blasts pierced the early January chill in a now-familiar community response employed by activists in US cities to alert neighbors to the presence of immigration officers.
    Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
  • As for what these glorious creatures sound like, the great eared nightjar's piercing call can be heard at dawn and dusk.
    Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The shooting spurts of goo, pus, and assorted bodily fluids are not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, but for those who enjoy watching an expert pop pimples, lance boils, and generally improve the quality of her patients' lives, Dr. Pimple Popper is sure to deliver.
    Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
  • The nest hoards of bearded vultures in southern Spain, where the species is extinct, were found to harbor such human artifacts as a crossbow bolt, a slingshot, a wooden lance, and a shoe with an approximate age of 675 years.
    Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Slow freezing forms large ice crystals that puncture delicate cell walls, often leaving berries mushy, herbs limp, and dough flattened.
    Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Foxtails and grass awns are particularly dangerous because their sharp ends can puncture skin (anywhere on the body) and cause infection, abscesses, or migrate into the body.
    Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 24 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Though none of the celebrity moms in question have publicly spoken about the drama, earlier this week, Koma, whom has also produced several of Duff's songs in the past, shared a meme to his Instagram Story jabbing Tisdale French's piece in The Cut.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Jan. 2026
  • As Webster repeatedly jabbed his finger, Rathbun met it with his left hand, as if trying to swat him away.
    Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • He was hand picked by Jeopardy producers to succeed Trebek before his passing, and even got the blessing of the longtime host's widow, Jean Trebek.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
  • He was picked to play for Latvia in the Winter Olympics next month in Milan, Italy.
    Steve Lyttle, Charlotte Observer, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The image of silverhewn anchors stuck, and Diodorus’ story emphazises so many of the classic Phoenician/Carthaginian stereotypes told by their later enemies.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Earlier in the day, Interstate 696 was hit with many cars that were stuck in the same spot while the snow continued to accumulate on the roadways.
    Heath Kalb, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spear. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

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