ear-piercing
adjective
extremely harsh and irritating to the ear.
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ear-piercing
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ear piercing
ear piercingnounthe making of a hole in the lobe of an ear, using a sterilized needle, so that an earring may be worn fastened in the hole
ear-piercing
American
[eer-peer-sing]
/ ˈɪərˌpɪər sɪŋ /
adjective
ear piercing
British
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of ear-piercing
First recorded in 1595–1605
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.
See Examples For:
As Stankiewicz attempted to utter another sentence, the train’s ear-piercing horn sounded.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026
She unpaused it just in time for Estonia, prompting the young woman to emit an ear-piercing scream, jump up and hold her scarf above her head as if she was on the Kop.
From BBC ● May 14, 2023
But in true late-season wildness, SKC captain Johnny Russell cut through the ear-piercing noise and Seattle’s defense for the game-winner in the 79th minute.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 23, 2021
The Brood X cicadas have already begun to rise from their underground lairs, and people across 15 Northeastern states will soon have free tickets to swarms of ear-piercing performances.
From Washington Times ● May 5, 2021
David runs in a tight circle, flailing his arms, his mouth wide in another ear-piercing howl.
From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
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 ● Aug. 13, 2025
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 ● Aug. 6, 2025
Tiffany Smith, the outreach coordinator for the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, said the procedure is about as invasive as getting an ear piercing.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 28, 2020
One company tried to get me to accept a free ear piercing if I filmed it live.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 19, 2020
“The Butterfly had an ear piercing that wasn’t on era.”
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
