Thesaurus results for PIERCING

piercing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpir-siŋ

Definition of piercing

as in biting

causing intense discomfort to one's skin that light sweater will be no match for the piercing wind outside

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in loud

marked by a high volume of sound the frightened child emitted a piercing shriek that could be heard all over the house

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piercing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of pierce

as in penetrating

to go or come in or into thoughts of revenge relentlessly pierced her mind

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in drilling

to make a hole or series of holes in pierced his ears with a needle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stabbing

to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object the saber pierced his chest, releasing a spurt of blood

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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 piercing

Adjective

Streisand covered the emotionally piercing song the following year, and clever DJs around the country began splicing the two solo versions together. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 24 Dec. 2025 Its piercing alarm is activated with the simple press of a button, which also turns on flashing strobe lights. — Kristy Alpert, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2025

Verb

The company has been piercing girls and their mothers for nearly five decades with 131 million ears pierced to date. — Sharon Edelson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The film ends up with raucously funny situations buoyed by piercing second-hand embarrassment. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for piercing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for piercing

Adjective

The pacing is more frenetic, the narration more biting, the flashbacks more jarring, and the comedowns much harsher.

— Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 June 2026

Definition of biting

Verb

Concrete is mixed with a crystalline, waterproof powder that blocks water from penetrating into it, protecting structures and extending their life.

— Dorany Pineda, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Concrete is mixed with a crystalline, water-proof powder that blocks water from penetrating into it, protecting structures and extending their life.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of penetrating

Verb

Mapping minerals before drilling The Colorado demonstration is also tied to a broader push to use quantum sensing for domestic mineral mapping.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
Founded by former truck driver Chace Barber, the company is focusing on diesel-electric tech to power real working vehicles like log loaders, crane trucks, and drilling rigs.

— Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of drilling

Verb

As officers worked on one stabbing scene, more calls came in — another stabbing, then another, then three more, all before officers tracked down and arrested the suspect nearby.

— Maddie White, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
While at the scene, they were notified by BART police that a third stabbing victim had been found near the Fruitvale station.

— Jason Green, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of stabbing

Adjective

Thin-shelled yet not overly delicate, stuffed with amarena cherry-scented light ricotta bookended by bitter dark chocolate chips.

— The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Today’s recipe Chef David Tanis’ recipe for Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad With Bitter Lettuces has a nice combination of sweet and bitter.

— Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of bitter

Adjective

Before the researchers could start sampling it, though, a deafening roar suddenly filled the tunnel.

— James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
Dixon said other issues to be considered are the deafening roar of traffic passing under the footbridge on I-91 and how to soften it.

— Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2026

Definition of deafening

Verb

Prior to entering the pharmacy, an approximately three-minute drive from the family’s home, evidence presented in court showed Patrick sent an email, then went inside the store.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Besides, the naked eye gives a better sense of the moon as a whole object entering a larger object's shadow.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of entering

Browse Nearby Words

pierces

piercing

piercingly

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Piercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piercing. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of piercing

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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