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ear-piercing

[ eer-peer-sing ]

/ ˈɪərˌpɪər sɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR ear-piercing ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

extremely harsh and irritating to the ear: ear-piercing noise.

Words nearby ear-piercing

ear trumpet, ear tuft, ear wrap, ear-grabbing, ear-minded, ear-piercing, ear-splitting, earache, earball, earbash, earbob

Origin of ear-piercing

First recorded in 1595–1605

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ear-piercing

All that Huck Finn innocence was wiped out with one ear-piercing pig-like squeal.
Enough with the Overalls!|Sean Macaulay|April 7, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Is it true that I am the only person who has ever been interviewed twice [ear-piercing whistle] by Playboy?
Mel Brooks Is Always Funny and Often Wise in This 1975 Playboy Interview|Alex Belth|February 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ear-piercing is done to both men and women, generally when quite young, say at seven or twelve years of age.
The Mafulu|Robert W. Williamson
He blew it out and from the desert came a continuous and ear-piercing scream.
The Ethical Engineer|Henry Maxwell Dempsey

Then he opened his mouth and uttered shrieks so ear-piercing that their like had never been heard before.
The Book of Stories for the Storyteller|Fanny E. Coe
So sudden and unexpected was the ear-piercing cry that both horse and rider started.
The Hound From The North|Ridgwell Cullum
But he jumped up, and ran down to the shore, and sent an ear-piercing yell across the water.
Peter Cotterell's Treasure|Rupert Sargent Holland

The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...