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ear-piercing
ear-piercingadjectiveextremely harsh and irritating to the ear.
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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
Americanadjective
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:
And he’s not referring to the ear-piercing, 130-decibel sound coming from his Red Bull Racing 20 car.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2024
Hunter was met with ear-piercing screams as she emerged with nine-year-old niece Isabella holding her hand.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 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
And is “the sound of fear,” to quote from the script, really an ear-piercing scream?
From New York Times ● Feb. 18, 2019
David runs in a tight circle, flailing his arms, his mouth wide in another ear-piercing howl.
From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
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The stores were also a major destination for ear piercing services.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2025
Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst talks through some of his first-time experiences in life and his career, including the secret behind his ear piercing.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2023
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
My lectures feel limp and inarticulate – deja vu of me at 13 outside Claire’s Accessories, failing to convince him my quality of life would improve with a second ear piercing.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 14, 2020
“The Butterfly had an ear piercing that wasn’t on era.”
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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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.