Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense pierces, present participle piercing, past tense, past participle pierced
1. verb
If a sharp object pierces something, or if you pierce something with a sharp object, the object goes into it and makes a hole in it.
One bullet pierced the left side of his chest. [VERB noun]
Pierce the skin of the potato with a fork. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: penetrate, stab, spike, enter More Synonyms of pierce
2. verb
If you have your ears or some other part of your body pierced, you have a small hole made through them so that you can wear a piece of jewellery in them.
I'm having my ears pierced on Saturday. [have noun VERB-ed]
...her pierced ears with their tiny gold studs. [VERB-ed]
[Also VERB noun]
3. verb
If a light or sound pierces something or pierces through it, it is suddenly seen or heard very clearly.
[literary]
A spotlight pierced the darkness. [VERB noun]
Then he spoke, in a voice that pierced the thick air. [VERB noun]
The clock striking the hour pierced through his thoughts. [VERBthrough noun]
Synonyms: pass through, penetrate, light up, cut through More Synonyms of pierce
4. verb
If a thought, feeling, or sound pierces someone's heart, it makes them experience a feeling, especially sadness, very strongly.
[literary]
This sound, like all music, pierced my heart like a dagger. [VERB noun]
5. verb
If someone pierces something that acts as a barrier, they manage to get through it.
[Also Vthrough n]
More Synonyms of pierce
pierce in British English
(pɪəs)
verb(mainly tr)
1.
to form or cut (a hole) in (something) with or as if with a sharp instrument
2.
to thrust into or penetrate sharply or violently
the thorn pierced his heel
3.
to force (a way, route, etc) through (something)
4.
(of light) to shine through or penetrate (darkness)
5. (also intr)
to discover or realize (something) suddenly or (of an idea) to become suddenly apparent
6.
(of sounds or cries) to sound sharply through (the silence)
7.
to move or affect (a person's emotions, bodily feelings, etc) deeply or sharply
the cold pierced their bones
8. (intransitive)
to penetrate or be capable of penetrating
piercing cold
Derived forms
pierceable (ˈpierceable)
adjective
piercer (ˈpiercer)
noun
Word origin
C13 percen, from Old French percer, ultimately from Latin pertundere, from per through + tundere to strike
Pierce in British English
(pɪəs)
noun
Franklin. 1804–69, US statesman; 14th president of the US (1853–57)
Pierce in American English
(pɪrs)
Franklin1804-69; 14th president of the U.S. (1853-57)
pierce in American English
(pɪrs)
verb transitiveWord forms: pierced or ˈpiercing
1.
to pass into or through as a pointed instrument does; penetrate; stab
2.
to affect sharply the senses or feelings of
3.
to make a hole in or through; perforate; bore
4.
to make (a hole), as by boring or stabbing
5.
to force a way into or through; break through
6.
to sound sharply through
a shriek pierced the air
7.
to penetrate with the sight or mind
to pierce a mystery
verb intransitive
8.
to penetrate (to, into, or through something)
Derived forms
piercer (ˈpiercer)
noun
piercingly (ˈpiercingly)
adverb
Word origin
ME percen < OFr percer < VL *pertusiare < L pertusus, pp. of pertundere, to thrust through < per, through + tundere, to strike < IE base *(s)teu-, to push > stock
Examples of 'pierce' in a sentence
pierce
The home fans roared back each time a player's fist pierced the air.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The home fans roared back each time a player's fist pierced the air.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They stopped her ribs piercing her heart.
The Sun (2011)
The light has come to pierce the darkness.
Christianity Today (2000)
We walked down the valley through rainforest so thick with plants that light barely pierced the canopy.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The only contact they have had is through three bore holes which have pierced their bunker.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
One of these pierced the envelope and set it on fire.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Suddenly they spotted a group of blue and green lights piercing through the fog.
The Sun (2008)
Simply cut off the top and pierce some holes in the base for drainage.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The shards of humanity pierced the heart.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Sudden shafts of light pierce the humid gloom.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
One day, there is a sweetness in the air so piercing it is almost like pain.
Eddison, Sydney A Patchwork Garden: Unexpected Pleasures from a Country Garden (1990)
Thus, despite huge effort, only thin beams of light pierce our twilight of ignorance.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Rain bars are, as they sound, long tubes pierced with spray holes.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
A voice pierced the air.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven, while they are still soft pierce a hole at the top of each with a skewer.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
At 1.6 billion, it weighs in at nearly twice the cost of the tower that appears to pierce a hole in the sky.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
pierce
British English: pierce /pɪəs/ VERB
If a sharp object pierces something, or if you pierce something with a sharp object, the object goes into it and makes a hole in it.
Pierce the skin of the potato with a fork.
American English: pierce
Arabic: يَخْرِق
Brazilian Portuguese: furar
Chinese: 刺穿
Croatian: probosti
Czech: propíchnout
Danish: gennembore
Dutch: doordringen
European Spanish: agujerear
Finnish: lävistää
French: percer
German: durchstechen
Greek: διατρυπώ
Italian: perforare
Japanese: 穴をあける
Korean: 구멍을 뚫다
Norwegian: gjennomhulle
Polish: przebić
European Portuguese: furar
Romanian: a găuri
Russian: прокалывать
Latin American Spanish: agujerear
Swedish: tränga igenom
Thai: เจาะ
Turkish: delmek
Ukrainian: проколювати
Vietnamese: xuyên thủng
Chinese translation of 'pierce'
pierce
(pɪəs)
vt
[surface, material, skin]刺 (cì)
to have one's ears pierced扎耳洞 (zhā ěrdòng)
1 (verb)
Definition
to make a hole in (something) with a sharp point
Pierce the skin of the potato with a fork.
Synonyms
penetrate
The needle penetrated the skin.
stab
Somebody stabbed him in the stomach.
spike
enter
The icicle entered his right hand.
bore
Get the special drill bit to bore the correct-size hole.
probe
drill
I drilled five holes at equal distance.
run through
lance
puncture
The bullet punctured his stomach.
prick
She pricked her finger with a needle.
transfix
stick into
perforate
The table was perforated by a series of small holes.
impale
I had to go to hospital after impaling my foot on a railing spike.
2 (verb)
Definition
(of light) to shine through (darkness)
A spotlight pierced the darkness.
Synonyms
pass through
penetrate
A cool breeze penetrated the mosquito netting.
light up
cut through
pervade
the corruption that pervades every stratum of society
permeate
The water will eventually permeate through the surrounding concrete.
filter through
burst through
3 (verb)
Her words pierced Lydia's heart like an arrow.
Synonyms
hurt
I'll go. I've hurt you enough.
cut
The personal criticism has cut him deeply.
wound
He was deeply wounded by the treachery of his closest friends.
strike
She was struck by his simple, spellbinding eloquence.
touch
It has touched me deeply to see how these people live.
affect
He loved his sister, and her loss clearly still affects him.
pain
It pains me to think of an animal being in distress.
move
These stories surprised and moved me.
excite
I only take on work that excites me.
stir
I was intrigued by him, stirred by his intellect.
thrill
The electric atmosphere both thrilled and terrified him.
sting
The nettles stung their legs.
rouse
He did more to rouse the crowd than anybody else.
cut to the quick
Additional synonyms
in the sense of affect
Definition
to move someone emotionally
He loved his sister, and her loss clearly still affects him.
Synonyms
emotionally move,
touch,
upset,
overcome,
stir,
disturb,
perturb,
impress on,
tug at your heartstrings (facetious)
in the sense of bore
Definition
to produce (a tunnel, mine shaft, etc.) by drilling
Get the special drill bit to bore the correct-size hole.
Synonyms
drill,
mine,
sink,
tunnel,
pierce,
penetrate,
burrow,
puncture,
perforate,
gouge out
in the sense of cut
Definition
to hurt the feelings of (a person)
The personal criticism has cut him deeply.
Synonyms
hurt,
wound,
upset,
sting,
grieve,
pain,
hurt someone's feelings
Synonyms of 'pierce'
pierce
Explore 'pierce' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of drill
Definition
to bore a hole in (something) with or as if with a drill
I drilled five holes at equal distance.
Synonyms
bore,
pierce,
penetrate,
sink in,
puncture,
perforate
in the sense of enter
The icicle entered his right hand.
Synonyms
penetrate,
get in,
insert into,
pierce,
pass into,
perforate
in the sense of excite
Definition
to make (a person) feel so happy that he or she is unable to relax because he or she is looking forward eagerly to something
I only take on work that excites me.
Synonyms
thrill,
inspire,
stir,
stimulate,
provoke,
awaken,
animate,
move,
fire,
rouse,
exhilarate,
agitate,
quicken,
inflame,
enliven,
galvanize,
foment
in the sense of impale
Definition
to pierce through or fix with a sharp object
I had to go to hospital after impaling my foot on a railing spike.
Synonyms
pierce,
stick,
run through,
spike,
lance,
spear,
skewer,
spit,
transfix
in the sense of move
Definition
to arouse affection, pity, or compassion in
These stories surprised and moved me.
Synonyms
touch,
affect,
excite,
impress,
stir,
agitate,
disquiet,
make an impression on,
tug at your heartstrings (facetious)
in the sense of pain
Definition
to cause (a person) physical or mental suffering
It pains me to think of an animal being in distress.
Synonyms
distress,
worry,
hurt,
wound,
torture,
grieve,
torment,
afflict,
sadden,
disquiet,
vex,
agonize,
cut to the quick,
aggrieve
in the sense of perforate
Definition
to make a hole or holes in
The table was perforated by a series of small holes.
Synonyms
pierce,
hole,
bore,
punch,
drill,
penetrate,
puncture,
honeycomb
in the sense of permeate
Definition
to pass through or cause to pass through by osmosis or diffusion
The water will eventually permeate through the surrounding concrete.
Synonyms
pervade,
saturate,
charge,
fill,
pass through,
penetrate,
infiltrate,
imbue,
filter through,
spread through,
impregnate,
seep through,
percolate,
soak through,
diffuse throughout
in the sense of pervade
Definition
to spread through or throughout (something)
the corruption that pervades every stratum of society
Synonyms
spread through,
fill,
affect,
penetrate,
infuse,
permeate,
imbue,
suffuse,
percolate,
extend through,
diffuse through,
overspread
in the sense of prick
Definition
to pierce lightly with a sharp point
She pricked her finger with a needle.
Synonyms
pierce,
stab,
puncture,
bore,
pink,
punch,
lance,
jab,
perforate,
impale
Additional synonyms
in the sense of puncture
Definition
to pierce a hole in (something) with a sharp object
The bullet punctured his stomach.
Synonyms
pierce,
cut,
nick,
penetrate,
prick,
rupture,
perforate,
impale,
bore a hole (in)
in the sense of rouse
Definition
to provoke or excite
He did more to rouse the crowd than anybody else.
Synonyms
excite,
move,
arouse,
stir,
disturb,
provoke,
anger,
startle,
animate,
prod,
exhilarate,
get going,
agitate,
inflame,
incite,
whip up,
galvanize,
bestir
in the sense of stab
Definition
to pierce with a sharp pointed instrument
Somebody stabbed him in the stomach.
Synonyms
pierce,
cut,
gore,
run through,
stick,
injure,
wound,
knife,
thrust,
spear,
jab,
puncture,
bayonet,
transfix,
impale,
spill blood
in the sense of sting
Definition
(of certain animals and plants) to inflict a wound on (someone) by the injection of poison
The nettles stung their legs.
Synonyms
hurt,
burn,
wound,
nip,
prick,
bite
in the sense of stir
Definition
to excite or move (someone) emotionally
I was intrigued by him, stirred by his intellect.
Synonyms
stimulate,
move,
excite,
fire,
raise,
touch,
affect,
urge,
inspire,
prompt,
spur,
thrill,
provoke,
arouse,
awaken,
animate,
rouse,
prod,
quicken,
inflame,
incite,
instigate,
electrify,
kindle
in the sense of strike
Definition
to affect (someone) deeply in a particular way
She was struck by his simple, spellbinding eloquence.
Synonyms
move,
touch,
impress,
hit,
affect,
overcome,
stir,
disturb,
perturb,
make an impact on
in the sense of thrill
Definition
to feel or cause to feel a thrill
The electric atmosphere both thrilled and terrified him.
Synonyms
excite,
stimulate,
arouse,
move,
send (slang),
stir,
flush,
tingle,
electrify,
titillate,
give someone a kick
in the sense of touch
Definition
to produce an emotional response in
It has touched me deeply to see how these people live.
Synonyms
move,
upset,
stir,
disturb,
melt,
soften,
tug at someone's heartstrings (facetious),
leave an impression on
in the sense of transfix
Definition
to pierce (a person or animal) through with a pointed object
Synonyms
pierce,
fix,
spit,
run through,
spear,
puncture,
skewer,
impale,
transpierce
in the sense of wound
Definition
to cause an injury to the body or feelings of
He was deeply wounded by the treachery of his closest friends.