puncture

[puhngk-cher]

noun

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

2. a hole or mark so made.

   Synonyms: perforation, rupture, break

3. Zoology.,  a small pointlike depression.

verb (used with object)

punctured, puncturing 

1. to pierce or perforate, as with a pointed instrument.

   to puncture leather with an awl.

2. to make (a hole, perforation, etc.) by piercing or perforating.

   He punctured a row of holes in the cardboard.

3. to make a puncture in.

   A piece of glass punctured the tire.

4. to reduce or diminish as if by piercing; damage; wound.

   to puncture a person's pride.

5. to cause to collapse or disintegrate; spoil; ruin.

   to puncture one's dream of success.

verb (used without object)

punctured, puncturing 

1. to become punctured.

   These tires do not puncture easily.

puncture

/ ˈpʌŋktʃə /

noun

1. a small hole made by a sharp object

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

3. the act of puncturing or perforating

verb

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

2. 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

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

Other Word Forms

• puncturable adjective
• punctureless adjective
• puncturer noun
• nonpuncturable adjective
• unpunctured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of puncture¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin pūnctūra “a pricking,” from pūnct(us) “pierced” (past participle of pungere “to pierce”; pungent ) + -ūra -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of puncture¹

C14: from Latin punctūra, from pungere to prick

Example Sentences

He was resented for puncturing euphemisms of communal self-regard.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The shares have begun moving upward again recently, but are still well short of the peaks they achieved before an earnings shortfall announced in April punctured investors’ faith.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Nationwide, treatment has played a role in puncturing the overdose fatality statistics.

Read more on BBC

He said the overall picture, when looking at default levels, appears healthy, and he saw little risk that demand for AI would suddenly decline, puncturing valuations.

Read more on BBC

Its thin skin is easily punctured by its own stem, which means workers must hand-clip the fruit from the tree, cutting productivity in half.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• deflate 
• penetrate 
• perforate 
• prick 
• riddle 
• rupture