piercing

[peer-sing]

adjective

1. loud or shrill, as the quality of a voice.

   Synonyms: screeching, strident, grating

2. extremely cold or bitter.

   a piercing wind.

3. appearing to gaze deeply or penetratingly into something.

   piercing eyes.

4. perceptive or aware; acute.

   a piercing mind.

5. sarcastic or caustic; cutting.

   piercing remarks.

6. having an unpleasantly intense quality or effect.

   a piercing drought.

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. a ring, stud, or other piece of jewelry inserted through a hole in a body part.

   He wears five silver piercings on his ears.

piercing

/ ˈpɪəsɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of a sound) sharp and shrill

2. (of eyes or a look) intense and penetrating

3. (of an emotion) strong and deeply affecting

4. (of cold or wind) intense or biting

noun

1. the art or practice of piercing body parts for the insertion of jewellery

2. an instance of the piercing of a body part

Other Word Forms

• piercingly adverb
• piercingness noun
• unpiercing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of piercing¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; pierce, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Rico said that while spending nights nearby in Imperial Beach, he was awakened by a stench that he described as piercing, something he also heard from residents.

From Los Angeles Times

Father Greg Walgenbach, a founding member, praised the Knights for piercing through the “bubbles” too many Orange County residents live in.

From Los Angeles Times

In some stores you were able to order skinny caramel lattes, get your hair and nails done, and maybe even get a piercing or two if your mum wasn't watching.

From BBC

Claire's had been particularly popular for its ear piercing services and was a common stop in the early 2000s for tweens and teens during weekend shopping trips in malls across the world.

From BBC

It’s the second bankruptcy filing in seven years for the chain, which was once the go-to destination for ear piercing and cheap jewelry.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• biting 
• blaring www.thesaurus.com
• earsplitting 
• fierce 
• high-pitched 
• painful 
• penetrating 
• shrill