piercing
Americanadjective
-
loud or shrill, as the quality of a voice.
- Synonyms:
- screeching, strident, grating
-
extremely cold or bitter.
a piercing wind.
-
appearing to gaze deeply or penetratingly into something.
piercing eyes.
-
perceptive or aware; acute.
a piercing mind.
-
sarcastic or caustic; cutting.
piercing remarks.
-
having an unpleasantly intense quality or effect.
a piercing drought.
noun
-
an act or instance of making a hole or opening in something.
The cleverly engineered design allows for a safe and smooth piercing of the hose for an easy, watertight installation.
-
the practice or technique of puncturing a body part so that jewelry can be inserted.
The shop is super clean and they're obviously experts in piercing.
-
a hole or opening made by puncturing: An infected navel piercing can usually be treated with antibiotics.
The five wall piercings were possibly a reference to the Five Holy Wounds of Christ.
An infected navel piercing can usually be treated with antibiotics.
-
a ring, stud, or other piece of jewelry inserted through a hole in a body part.
He wears five silver piercings on his ears.
adjective
-
(of a sound) sharp and shrill
-
(of eyes or a look) intense and penetrating
-
(of an emotion) strong and deeply affecting
-
(of cold or wind) intense or biting
noun
-
the art or practice of piercing body parts for the insertion of jewellery
-
an instance of the piercing of a body part
Other Word Forms
- piercingly adverb
- piercingness noun
- unpiercing adjective
Etymology
Origin of piercing
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.
"What makes my mood so much better is that I take videos and photos of myself and post them," she said, her nose piercing visible.
From Barron's
“The Butterfly had an ear piercing that wasn’t on era.”
From Literature
Even its piercing eyes are crafted from vehicle bearings, completing a sculpture that is both intricate and awesome.
From Barron's
Servin remembered her daughter as a bubbly toddler with piercing blue eyes who wriggled with delight at the sight of Elmo.
From Los Angeles Times
Following a bullish piercing line on April 7, the stock went on to double into its Jan. 27 peak.
From Barron's
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.
