What does "pierce" mean?
A pierced earring.
Pierce
/pɪɹs/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A pierced earring.
- Grammar: pierce is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abrade, abroach, affect, afflict.
- Useful contrasts: unpierced, glancing, block.
- Usage evidence: If a high hill stood between A and B, it was important to decide whether the line should climb over it, pierce it with a tunnel, or make a detour to avoid it.
How to use "pierce"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pierce" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pierce" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pierce" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pierce" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pierce" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abrade" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pierce", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A pierced earring. Japan
Verb
- 1 To puncture; to break through. transitive
"The diver pierced the surface of the water with scarcely a splash."
- 2 make a hole into wordnet
- 3 To create a hole in the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry. transitive
"Can you believe he pierced his tongue?"
- 4 penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument wordnet
- 5 to break or interrupt abruptly transitive
"A dreadful scream pierced the silence."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 cut or make a way through wordnet
- 7 To get to the heart or crux of (a matter). figuratively, transitive
"to pierce a mystery"
- 8 move or affect (a person's emotions or bodily feelings) deeply or sharply wordnet
- 9 To penetrate; to affect deeply. figuratively, transitive
"A stab of fear pierced my heart."
- 10 sound sharply or shrilly wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A male given name from Ancient Greek, medieval variant of Piers. Modern usage may also derive from the surname.
- 2 A surname originating as a patronymic.
- 3 A city, the county seat of Pierce County, Nebraska, United States.
Example
"If a high hill stood between A and B, it was important to decide whether the line should climb over it, pierce it with a tunnel, or make a detour to avoid it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pierce"?
Common synonyms include: abrade, abroach, affect, afflict, aggrieve, agonize.
How do you use "pierce" in a sentence?
If a high hill stood between A and B, it was important to decide whether the line should climb over it, pierce it with a tunnel, or make a detour to avoid it.
How do you pronounce "pierce"?
Pronounced /pɪɹs/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English perce, from conjugated forms of Old French percier such as (jeo) pierce (“I pierce”), probably from Vulgar Latin *pertūsiō, from Latin pertūsus, past participle of pertundō (“thrust or bore through”), from per- (“through”) + tundō (“beat, pound”). Displaced native Old English þȳrlian (literally “to hole”).
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Japanese ピアス (piasu, “pierced earring”), itself from English pierce.