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:
A certain portion of the fanbase do romanticise the ear-piercing sound of the engines from the 1990s and early 2000s.
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2025
Seldom have 58,000 people, uniformly this vocally delighted and expressive, produced such an ear-piercing sound.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 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
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
The swarm enveloped the body of the plague god in an opaque cloud, its buzzing reaching an ear-piercing whine.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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
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
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.
