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  • ear-piercing
    ear-piercing
    adjective
    extremely harsh and irritating to the ear.
  • ear piercing
    ear piercing
    noun
    the 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
Synonyms

ear-piercing

American  
[eer-peer-sing] / ˈɪərˌpɪər sɪŋ /

adjective

  1. extremely harsh and irritating to the ear.

    ear-piercing noise.
ear piercing British  

noun

  1. the 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. so loud or shrill as to hurt the ears

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Seldom have 58,000 people, uniformly this vocally delighted and expressive, produced such an ear-piercing sound.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2023

There were ear-piercing screams when she took to the field and a standing ovation when she left.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 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

Sometimes they go into town for supplies, where the stark concrete landscapes and ear-piercing industrial noises assault their senses.

From Washington Times • Jun. 26, 2018

David runs in a tight circle, flailing his arms, his mouth wide in another ear-piercing howl.

From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord

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.