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• pierce
  pierce

  verb (used with object)

  to penetrate into or run through (something), as a sharp, pointed dagger, object, or instrument does.
• Pierce
  Pierce

  noun

  Franklin, 1804–69, 14th president of the U.S. 1853–57.

pierce

¹ American  

[peers] / pɪərs /

verb (used with object)

• pierces,
  present (3rd person singular)
• pierced,
  past participle,  past
• piercing
  present participle

1. to penetrate into or run through (something), as a sharp, pointed dagger, object, or instrument does.

   Synonyms:

   puncture, enter

2. to make a hole or opening in.

3. to bore into or through; tunnel.

4. to perforate.

5. to make (a hole, opening, etc.) by or as by boring or perforating.

6. to make a way or path into or through.

   a road that pierces the dense jungle.

7. to penetrate with the eye or mind; see into or through.

   She couldn't pierce his thoughts.

8. to affect sharply with some sensation or emotion, as of cold, pain, or grief.

   The wind pierced her body. Her words pierced our hearts.

   Synonyms:

   thrill, strike, move, touch

9. to sound sharply through (the air, stillness, etc.).

   A pistol shot pierced the night.

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verb (used without object)

• pierces,
  present (3rd person singular)
• pierced,
  past participle,  past
• piercing
  present participle

1. to force or make a way into or through something; penetrate.

   to pierce to the heart.

Pierce ² American  

[peers] / pɪərs /

noun

1. Franklin, 1804–69, 14th president of the U.S. 1853–57.

2. John Robinson, 1910–2002, U.S. electrical engineer: helped develop communications satellites.

3. a male given name, form of Peter.

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pierce ¹ British  

/ pɪəs /

verb

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. (intr) to penetrate or be capable of penetrating

   piercing cold

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Pierce ² British  

/ pɪəs /

noun

1. Franklin. 1804–69, US statesman; 14th president of the US (1853–57)

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Usage

What does pierce mean? To pierce something is to penetrate or puncture it, usually with something sharp, making a hole in the process. This sense of the word is associated with needles and other thin, sharp objects used to pierce surfaces. To pierce someone’s ear is to make a hole in it with a needle so that an earring can be inserted. This is called a piercing. The word can be used in the context of someone doing the piercing, as in You will need to pierce the skin with this needle, or in the context of an object piercing something, as in The needle pierced the skin. Things that have been pierced can be described with the adjective pierced, as in pierced ears.  Things that pierce aren’t always sharp. Sometimes, things pierce by penetrating with force. For example, bullets and artillery shells that are designed to pierce protective coverings and shields are described as armor-piercing. More broadly, pierce can mean to make a hole, opening, tunnel, or path into or through something, as in The mountain is pierced by a long tunnel.  These literal senses of pierce are the basis of several figurative senses of the word. Pierce can mean to see into or through, as if penetrating something with the eye or mind, as in Her stare pierced my soul. It can also mean to affect intensely or sharply, as in The wind pierced my face or Your writing needs to pierce the reader’s heart. An insult can pierce you in this way—meaning it can cut you deeply. Similarly, shrill sounds can be said to pierce your ears, the air, or the stillness, and light can be said to pierce the darkness. The word piercing can also be used as an adjective to describe things that are intense, penetrating, or sharp in a figurative way, as in a piercing wind, a piercing scream, a piercing stare, or a piercing remark. Example: This tarp is pretty thick, so to pierce it you’ll have to really stab the stake through it forcefully.

Synonym Usage

Pierce, penetrate suggest the action of one object passing through another or making a way through and into another. The terms are used both concretely and figuratively. To pierce is to perforate quickly, as by stabbing; it suggests the use of a sharp, pointed instrument which is impelled by force: to pierce the flesh with a knife; a scream pierces one's ears. Penetrate suggests a slow or difficult movement: No ordinary bullet can penetrate an elephant's hide; to penetrate the depths of one's ignorance.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• piercer
  noun
• pierceable
  adjective
• unpierceable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• piercing
  present
• pierced
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• pierce
  simple
• pierces
  simple
• have pierced
  perfect
• has pierced
  perfect
• am piercing
  progressive
• are piercing
  progressive
• is piercing
  progressive
• have been piercing
  perfect progressive
• has been piercing
  perfect progressive

Past

• pierced
  simple
• had pierced
  perfect
• was piercing
  progressive
• were piercing
  progressive
• had been piercing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will pierce
  simple
• will have pierced
  perfect
• will be piercing
  progressive
• will have been piercing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of pierce

1250–1300; Middle English percen < Old French perc ( i ) er < Vulgar Latin *pertūsiāre, verbal derivative of Latin pertūsus, past participle of pertundere to bore a hole through, perforate, equivalent to per- per- + tundere to strike, beat

Explanation

If something pokes your hand, you will probably look at your hand to see if it pierced the skin. To pierce means to go right through, especially with something sharp. Pierce has several meanings, but they all involve something sharp penetrating something else, like scissors through a plastic bag or a pen through a pocket. You can also pierce confusion by saying something that makes everything clear. Another meaning has to do with sound. Much like a knife, a sharp sound can pierce the silence and a loud, high shriek will pierce your ears.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pierce Pierce pierces pierced piercing

Depending on the species, chelicerae can function as pincers or fangs that grip, pierce, or stab prey.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

Some courts may be less willing to extend trust protections in such cases, though courts do not routinely pierce spendthrift protections simply because the underlying conduct of a beneficiary was wrongful.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 16, 2026

While we all need periodic reminders that pierce through the monotony and horrors of the day, awe of nature and our fragile existence being paramount, we also need reminders that a better future is possible.

From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026

The noise is deafening: Horns blare, whistles pierce the piercing cold.

From Slate ● Feb. 11, 2026

And though Charlie has not understood what passed between them, he is afraid and sinks beneath the covers, eyes open, trying to pierce the darkness that surrounds him.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Pierce saved the penalty from Paris St-Germain winger Kvaratskhelia, and Northern Ireland had an appeal of their own waved away when Charles appeared to have been caught in the area in the 88th minute.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

The first pass of the afternoon from Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan sailed past his receiver and directly to USC safety Christian Pierce, who returned the ball to the Scarlet Knights’ 24-yard line.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

Golding said he was in the "shadow of giants" following in the footsteps of Sir Ringo and Pierce Brosnan, who narrated a 2008 movie special called Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

“It’s taking the government’s supervision and enforcement tools and figuring out how you can use them the way the Reaganites used them,” Pierce said.

From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026

Pierce was about nineteen years old when she attended the first women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls, and she was ninety-one when she became eligible to vote for the first time.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

The sound of anti-aircraft guns pierces the sky as conversations at the market revolve around rising prices and the coming winter.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

More than with Alzheimer’s, in which personality tends to be preserved even as memory fades, FTD pierces the illusion of a continuous identity that persists through life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

Spitz’s deep reporting often pierces the mythology surrounding the band.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026

As we talk, on occasion the screeching call of a toucan pierces the quiet, and miles above, the same giant black birds hover menacingly in groups, surveying everything below.

From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2026

In the process, the child pierces the silence in the room with a short-lived cry.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Dior’s Hardcore era, with pierced bags from 20 years ago that are still deeply coveted.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

Archaeologists recently uncovered jewelry that included a pierced deer tooth and beads, all carbon dated to around 11,000 years ago.

From Science Daily ● May 20, 2026

Claire’s, the accessories store and mall staple that has pierced the ears of more than 131 million customers over the decades, had long built its brand with a distinctive shade of bright violet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026

I struggled to regain my composure after the first shock wave pierced my heart.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

Many are portrayed pierced with arrows, and gouges in the rock indicate cave-dwellers may have flung spears at the painted game.

From "The Annotated Mona Lisa" by Carol Strickland and John Boswell

In a four-star review, external, the Times noted how Heaton's "casually funny" and "deceptively piercing" latest album "again confirms his gift for dissecting human weakness with an unsentimental but humane eye".

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

She returned to skating in 2024 on her own terms, with a new look that included a halo hairstyle and a “smiley” piercing in the tissue connecting her upper lip to her gums.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

But just then, a piercing pink light appears outside, and a low, opaque mist begins to creep through the seams of your tent.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

New piercing hubs now rolling out feature Claire’s new hero shade of lilac; bigger, comfier chairs than the ones of my youth; and an Inspiration Bar to help customers design their “ear stacks.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

But the moment was interrupted by something shrill and peculiar piercing the night.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan