pierce

verb

ˈpirs How to pronounce pierce (audio)
pierced; piercing
Synonyms of pierce

transitive verb

1
a
: to run into or through as a pointed weapon does : stab
b
: to enter or thrust into sharply or painfully
2
: to make a hole through : perforate
3
: to force or make a way into or through
4
: to penetrate with the eye or mind : discern
5
: to penetrate so as to move or touch the emotions of

intransitive verb

: to force a way into or through something
piercer noun

Synonyms of pierce

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enter, penetrate, pierce, probe mean to make way into something.

enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in.

entered the city in triumph

penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance.

the enemy penetrated the fortress

pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument.

pierced the boil with a lancet

probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge.

probed the depths of the sea

Examples of pierce in a Sentence

The needle pierced her skin. The bullet pierced his lung. The needle pierced into her skin. The bullet pierced through his lung. A scream pierced the silence.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Possible options include ammunition designed for varied levels of impact, including armor-piercing configurations. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026 Still, traces of background radioactivity sometimes break the subterranean silence, with that activity piercing through LZ’s mile of protective bedrock or even seeping out of the materials lining the detector’s walls. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026 The bullet pierced the restaurant glass and left a diner with a minor injury. — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026 The morning following the storm, co-owner James Durawa told WISN 12 News that a tree pierced part of the restaurant's tin roof and would cost about $18,000 to remove. — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pierce

Word History

Etymology

Middle English percen, from Anglo-French percer, from Vulgar Latin *pertusiare, from Latin pertusus, past participle of pertundere to perforate, from per- through + tundere to beat — more at per-, contusion

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pierce was in the 14th century

Rhymes for pierce

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Browse Nearby Words

pier buttress
pierce
Pierce
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pierce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pierce. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pierce

verb
ˈpi(ə)rs How to pronounce pierce (audio)
pierced; piercing
1
a
: to run into or through as a pointed weapon does : stab
b
: to enter or thrust into sharply or painfully
2
: to make a hole in or through
have one's ears pierced
3
: to force or make a way into or through
pierce the enemy's line
4
: to penetrate with the eye or mind : see through
5
: to stir the emotions of : move
piercer noun

Legal Definition

pierce

transitive verb
pierced; piercing
: to see through the usually misleading or false appearance of
the object of summary judgment is to pierce the pleadings and allow a judgment on the merits—J. H. Friedenthal et al.
the Internal Revenue Service may attempt to pierce the plain meaning of the agreement—W. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

Biographical Definition

Pierce

biographical name

ˈpirs How to pronounce Pierce (audio)
Franklin 1804–1869 14th president of the U.S. (1853–57)
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