spear 1 of 2

verb

Definition of spearnext
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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spear

2 of 2

noun

ˈspir How to pronounce spear (audio)
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
Roupp helped his own cause by making a nifty play to turn two in the sixth, spearing a comebacker behind his back before firing to shortstop Willy Adames to kick-start a 1-6-3 double play. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 25 June 2026 Jafaar al-Samra had just sold an octopus, minutes after spearing it while snorkeling. — Jane Arraf, NPR, 23 June 2026
Noun
Seth Rollins dodged a Roman Reigns spear and hit a stomp for a false finish. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 But as Reigns bounced off the ropes, Rollins hit Reigns with a spear. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spear
  1. stab
  2. javelin
  3. pierce
  4. lance
  5. puncture
  6. jab
  7. pick
  8. stick
Verb
  • This time, in the middle of the afternoon on Friday, in a tourist and family hotspot, a man was stabbed and rushed to the hospital after a fight with another man, police say.
    — Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Last August, Iryna Zarutska, a white 23-year-old immigrant from Ukraine, was stabbed on the light rail by a man suffering from mental illness.
    — Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
Definition of stab
Noun
  • On the island, Heiva i Tahiti has been celebrated every July since, with traditional dance, drumming, singing and sports, such as javelin throwing and canoe races.
    — Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • Nebraska's Dyson Wicker won the pole vault at an NCAA-leading 19-2 1/4, and Texas A&M senior Zaza Nnamdi took javelin at 269-10.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
Definition of javelin
Verb
  • The film ends up with raucously funny situations buoyed by piercing second-hand embarrassment.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Eight thick stone legs support a circular tower pierced by arched openings.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of pierce
Noun
  • Fer-de-lance Fer-de-lance is a common name applied to highly dangerous pit vipers in the Bothrops genus, particularly in Central and South America.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Bottom cleaners use lances to scrape biofoul off hulls.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
Definition of lance
Verb
  • Images of Russian delivery warehouses and refineries ablaze have punctured the veneer of safety Moscow has tried to maintain four years into the war.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Then Uber came along and punctured the entire system within a few years.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 July 2026
Definition of puncture
Verb
  • Cannon said before pretending to jab his arm with a dosage while squealing from the pain and showing his vaccination card.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
  • Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu jabbed back against the prevailing narrative yesterday, saying she was never invited to participate in the WNBA’s 3-point contest this weekend.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of jab
Verb
  • That ranked fifth among the 63 college FBS receivers who were targeted at least 25 times on man-to-man routes — more than first-round picks Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The shrinking labor supply has contributed to the low-hire, low-fire environment, though recent months have seen a pick-up in job growth.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of pick
Verb
  • Oba Femi punched the chair out of Brock’s hand and stuck him with the Fall from Grace for the win.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The Sparks, meanwhile, are stuck in their rebuild limbo, with several veterans on long-term contracts and just Rae Burrell on an expiring contract.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of stick

Browse Nearby Words

speak up
spear
spear-carrier
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spear. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on spear

Nglish: Translation of spear for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spear

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