pierce

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.

The first records of the word pierce come from the 1200s. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb pertundere, meaning “to bore a hole through” or “to perforate.”

Pierce can be used in many different contexts, both literally and figuratively, but it’s almost always used to indicate that something has gone through something else. In a literal sense, this usually means that a hole or opening has been made, at least temporarily, such as in the skin or in a piece of fabric. In a figurative sense, this usually means that something has deeply penetrated or intensely affected something else.

What are some other forms of pierce?

• pierced (past tense verb, adjective)
• piercing (continuous tense verb, adjective, noun)

What are some synonyms for pierce?

• puncture
• perforate
• penetrate

What are some words that share a root or word element with pierce? 

• piercing saw
• armor-piercing

What are some words that often get used in discussing pierce?

• needle
• ear
• skin
• hole
• sharp
• eyes
• mind
• soul
• wind
• bullet
• armor
• wound

Pierce is very commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts and in all kinds of situations.

i wanna pierce my face again but idk where :/

— Jake! (@JakeWebber9) August 30, 2020

I love the feeling of the winter wind piercing my skin

— Anthony La Parry (@ajlaparry) March 2, 2016

As New York recovers from being the epicenter of the worst global pandemic in a century, two bright lights pierce the sky above Manhattan as a reminder of another past tragedy which too changed the fabric of this city forever. pic.twitter.com/1dVnhwZEpS

— Colm Flynn (@ColmFlynn1) September 5, 2020

Which of the following things can be said to pierce?

A. needles
B. knives
C. eyes
D. all of the above