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  • ear-piercing
    ear-piercing
    adjective
    extremely harsh and irritating to the ear.
  • ear piercing
    ear piercing
    noun
    the 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
Synonyms

ear-piercing

American  
[eer-peer-sing] / ˈɪərˌpɪər sɪŋ /

adjective

  1. extremely harsh and irritating to the ear.

    ear-piercing noise.


ear piercing British  

noun

  1. the 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

"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

adjective

  1. so loud or shrill as to hurt the ears

"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

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:

It could also be called a song cycle that employs ear-piercing rock and, for respite, a welcoming string quartet.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 22, 2024

The only construction activity was a truck that dumped loads of crushed rock, making an ear-piercing screech.

From New York Times May 31, 2023

Hunter was met with ear-piercing screams as she emerged with nine-year-old niece Isabella holding her hand.

From BBC Mar. 25, 2023

“We basically decided to have fun this time,” said Kim, whose stern expressions, owl-eyed glasses and ear-piercing shouts to her teammates on the ice made her a fan favorite during the Pyeongchang Games.

From Seattle Times Feb. 11, 2022

“Yeah, I didn’t think I’d get it. It’s such a big opportunity. The ear-piercing place at the mall!”

From "The Fourteenth Goldfish" by Jennifer L. Holm

Claire's is known for selling jewellery, colourful accessories such as necklaces and bracelets, and is part of millions of young people's memories for its ear piercing services.

From BBC Aug. 6, 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

He has short hair, a subtle ear piercing that looks like a staple, and the healthy tan of someone who works and surfs several months a year in Latin America — which he does.

From Seattle Times May 31, 2019

“The Butterfly had an ear piercing that wasn’t on era.”

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

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