as in piercing
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
transfixed the inanimate butterfly specimens to the collection board
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Recent Examples of transfixing
What makes Sam McConnell’s film transfixing, however, is the very personal nature of the drama, written by star Brock Yurich and clearly inspired by his own story.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
Brazen, physical, able to do more with one (yes) intense gesture than with reams of dialogue, his Bullseye is transfixing.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026
Brazen, physical, able to do more with one (yes) intense gesture than with reams of dialogue, his Bullseye is transfixing.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transfixing
Verb
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In shallow water, children may fall or land on a dive stick, resulting in serious piercing injuries.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
12 June 2026
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Telefone, the piercing 2016 breakout debut from Noname, turns ten this year, and the Chicago rapper is celebrating it with a late-summer anniversary trek.—
Alex Suskind,
Pitchfork,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Concerns about light rail safety in Charlotte remain after the August stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
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On Tuesday, Anthony was found guilty by a Texas jury in the 2025 stabbing death of Austin Metcalf at a track meet.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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As Molloy gradually succeeds in puncturing Lestat’s aloof, arrogant outer shell, his sound correspondingly shifts from assaultive punk to more contemplative ballads.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
7 June 2026
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Better known by her pseudonymous social media handle Jerry Gogosian, Helphenstein left behind a complicated legacy, puncturing art world pieties with both satirical and serious memes and occasionally making inflammatory statements.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The audience groaned, while Vergara and Mel B screamed for Strange to stop jabbing at his partner through the box.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 June 2026
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The threats just keep jabbing at America’s borders.—
Donald G. McNeil Jr,
Washington Post,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Is that enough to force Roberts into the uncomfortable position of picking one of his aces over another, like a father picking one of his sons over another?—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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Another logistic that should be considered ahead of time is picking the route.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Bobadilla then did the rest, inadvertently sticking his right foot in front of the ball and bouncing it by Paraguayan keeper Orlando Gil.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
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In fact, it can be rewarded for sticking the landing.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Transfixing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transfixing. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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