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ear-piercing
ear-piercingadjectiveextremely harsh and irritating to the ear.
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ear piercing
ear piercingnounthe making of a hole in the lobe of an ear, using a sterilized needle, so that an earring may be worn fastened in the hole
ear-piercing
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of ear-piercing
First recorded in 1595–1605
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A certain portion of the fanbase do romanticise the ear-piercing sound of the engines from the 1990s and early 2000s.
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2025
And he’s not referring to the ear-piercing, 130-decibel sound coming from his Red Bull Racing 20 car.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2024
The only construction activity was a truck that dumped loads of crushed rock, making an ear-piercing screech.
From New York Times ● May 31, 2023
Every match has felt like a home game for Morocco, whose passionate supporters greeted all the spells of possession by Spain and Portugal with ear-piercing whistles and jeers.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 11, 2022
Not like a gym-class monster-dodgeball runner, like flying away from an ear-piercing wail that rings through the classroom and hallways, vibrating the entire school and every inch of Axel’s body.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
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Claire's is known for selling jewellery, colourful accessories such as necklaces and bracelets, and is part of millions of young people's memories for its ear piercing services.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2025
The stores were also a major destination for ear piercing services.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2025
Tiffany Smith, the outreach coordinator for the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, said the procedure is about as invasive as getting an ear piercing.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 28, 2020
He has short hair, a subtle ear piercing that looks like a staple, and the healthy tan of someone who works and surfs several months a year in Latin America — which he does.
From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2019
“The Butterfly had an ear piercing that wasn’t on era.”
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.