PIERCES Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

pierces

verb

present tense third-person singular of pierce

as in penetrates

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in drills

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stabs

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

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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 pierces Christmas tree pins have a tiered configuration that compresses rather than pierces the ground (a win for modern synthetic or Mondo tracks). — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026 An ice sculpture of a heart includes a tube through the ice arrow that pierces the heart. — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 10 July 2026 And who the f--- pierces a 12 year old? — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 24 May 2026 Lockwood’s music instills joy in listening, and such revitalized desire leaves your body freshly tender, sensitive to whatever pierces the ear. — Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026 Piercing the Stones mythology Spitz’s deep reporting often pierces the mythology surrounding the band. — Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway. — Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026 Lower the heat to medium-high and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and a paring knife easily pierces a potato, about 15 minutes. — C.w. Cameron, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026 Because of the way the director works, emotions tend to be more discussed than felt, although there’s something about Carla’s desperation that pierces through all the soberness. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 17 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pierces

Verb

What matters is whether AI penetrates core operations and redesigns workflows (depth), and whether that transformation extends beyond superstar firms into the vast sectors that dominate employment and GDP (breadth).

— Ming Lu, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Leather Honey penetrates deep to protect new leather and rejuvenate dry leather and old leather.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of penetrates

Verb

Ramiro Benavides, director of a middle school mariachi in the district, drills his students not only on how to play their instruments and sing, but also on how to bring a theatrical and dramatic flair to their performances.

— Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Dewan is also filming The Rookie, so things are getting challenging as Val drills her on the technique — even on set between takes.

— Katie Campione, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of drills

Verb

The sequence culminates in the Great Hall, where Ned kicks part of his broken cane to Colum, who stabs MacKinney in the leg.

— Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
But before Bane can finish him off, Batman stabs a Batarang into a little knob on Bane’s wrist gauntlet, the one that controls his intake of Venom.

— Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of stabs

Verb

The incidental findings problem Here is the number that punctures the marketing.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
That’s because when a snake bites and punctures the skin and transfers venom into the victim’s body, the venom attacks the skin, soft tissue and connective tissue beneath it.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of punctures

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“Pierces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pierces. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pierces

verb

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