puncture

[ puhngk-cher ]

/ ˈpʌŋk tʃər /

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See synonyms for: puncture / punctured on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of piercing or perforating, as with a pointed instrument or object.

a hole or mark so made.

Zoology. a small pointlike depression.

verb (used with object), punc·tured, punc·tur·ing.

to pierce or perforate, as with a pointed instrument: to puncture leather with an awl.

to make (a hole, perforation, etc.) by piercing or perforating: He punctured a row of holes in the cardboard.

to make a puncture in: A piece of glass punctured the tire.

to reduce or diminish as if by piercing; damage; wound: to puncture a person's pride.

to cause to collapse or disintegrate; spoil; ruin: to puncture one's dream of success.

verb (used without object), punc·tured, punc·tur·ing.

to become punctured: These tires do not puncture easily.

OTHER WORDS FOR puncture

2 break, rupture, perforation.

See synonyms for puncture on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of puncture

1350–1400; Middle English <Latin pūnctūra a pricking, equivalent to pūnct(us) (past participle of pungere to pierce; see pungent), + -ūra-ure

OTHER WORDS FROM puncture

punc·tur·a·ble, adjectivepunc·ture·less, adjectivepunc·tur·er, nounnon·punc·tur·a·ble, adjective

un·punc·tured, adjective

Words nearby puncture

punctuated equilibrium, punctuation, punctuationalism, punctuation mark, punctulate, puncture, puncture vine, puncture weed, pundit, punditocracy, punditry

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use puncture in a sentence

The hood fits over a helmet, and its three-layer construction and 20-denier fabric prevent punctures from sharp equipment or snags.
Be Prepared for Wet Weather with These Jackets|syadron|August 20, 2021|Outside Online
A metal stand with rigid edges and sharp surfaces can ding headbands and puncture ear pads.
The best headphone stands for audiophiles, gamers, and anyone with a desk|Irena Collaku|July 23, 2021|Popular-Science
In fact, we have some fossils with puncture marks in the back of the head.
What Made Early Humans Smart - Issue 102: Hidden Truths|Kevin Berger|June 30, 2021|Nautilus
In that research, tattooed lines in fresh slabs of pig skin were produced by a series of punctures with tools that had tips coated in a homemade ink.
The oldest known tattoo tools were found at an ancient Tennessee site|Bruce Bower|May 25, 2021|Science News

It’s not true that plies used in those tires can lead to more punctures.
Everything You Need to Know About All-Terrain Tires|Wes Siler|April 6, 2021|Outside Online
She wants to puncture all of the caricatures that blunt the harsh reality of Eichmann.
Nothing Was Banal About Eichmann’s Evil, Says a Scathing New Biography|Michael Signer|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So any response has to make him hurt, personally; it has to puncture his ego, his pride.
Best Way to Punish Putin? No World Cup|Tunku Varadarajan|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some of those pieces of metal also exited his body, bringing his puncture total to 20.
David's Book Club: Storm of Steel|David Frum|July 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
If your campaign is built on inevitability, a puncture can take you down.
Romney Losing His Mojo After Caucus, Primary Losses to Santorum|Howard Kurtz|February 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
By presenting us with a workable plan, the president will be able to puncture that fear.
Overcoming the Fear Factor|Ted Widmer|March 21, 2010|DAILY BEAST
One of these is filled to a depth of about one-fourth inch from a puncture in the finger, and is set aside for a few hours.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Examination of the fluid obtained by lumbar puncture is of value in diagnosis of certain forms of meningitis.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Should he snap at the rear wheel and puncture the tire—Matt's thoughts could not carry the danger further.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run|Stanley R. Matthews
Where evidence warrants it corpses are subjected to microscopic and meticulous search to locate a hypodermic puncture.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
Each puncture and tiny grotto was filled with it, and a sloping cap of shimmering snow spread over the summit.
The Home of the Blizzard|Douglas Mawson

British Dictionary definitions for puncture

puncture

/ (ˈpʌŋktʃə) /

noun

a small hole made by a sharp object

a perforation and loss of pressure in a pneumatic tyre, made by sharp stones, glass, etc

the act of puncturing or perforating

verb

(tr) to pierce (a hole) in (something) with a sharp object

to cause (something pressurized, esp a tyre) to lose pressure by piercing, or (of a tyre, etc) to be pierced and collapse in this way

(tr) to depreciate (a person's self-esteem, pomposity, etc)

Derived forms of puncture

puncturable, adjectivepuncturer, noun

Word Origin for puncture

C14: from Latin punctūra, from pungere to prick

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

puncture

OTHER WORDS FOR puncture

Origin of puncture

OTHER WORDS FROM puncture

Words nearby puncture

Words related to puncture

How to use puncture in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for puncture

Derived forms of puncture

Word Origin for puncture