Thesaurus results for SPEARS

spears 1 of 2

noun

plural of spear

as in javelins

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

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spears

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spear

as in stabs

to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object she speared a pea with her fork and angrily flung it

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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 spears

Noun

Crossed spears of sunlight fall into it but only so far, and beneath their yellow illuminations Brith can see depths and more depths of water, darkening to obscurity. —

Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026 Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that takes a few years to produce edible spears. —

Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2026 According to writings from the time, in one game, women dressed as the goddess Diana and used spears to fight vicious boars across the arena floor. —

Taylor Mitchell Brown, Scientific American, 19 May 2026 The finish came when Rollins nearly secured a victory but met his end after a pair of rib-splitting spears. —

Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026 The farmers—many barefoot, carrying a melange of machetes, spears, and old guns—lay in wait. —

Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 May 2026 Smashing the spears with a rolling pin and dressing them in lemon and olive oil magically tenderizes the otherwise tough veg. —

Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 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 That means fresh and tender asparagus spears, crunchy snap pea pods, and spicy radishes are in season. —

Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spears

Noun

Humans have been throwing javelins for a few hundred thousand years, yet performance has largely plateaued.

— R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
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