The hawk has piercing eyes.
Source: tatoeba (276063)
Piercing
/ˈpɪɹsɪŋ/
Synonyms for "piercing" (365 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (73)
absorbingacerbacerbateacerbicacidacidicacidulentacidulousacridacrimoniousacupunctuationacupunctureacuteafflictiveagonizingalgidanalyticapperceptiveappercipientarctic
Show 36 more words
Noun(11 words)
acuteaperturebitingblazing glarebodily piercingbody modificationbreachcaterwaulingcawingclarionclarioning
Strong matches (110)
deepdeep-feltdeepgoingdiscerningdistressingdouble edgeddouble-edgeddrasticdrill holedrivingear piercingear splittingear-piercingear-rendingear-splittingearsplittingearthshakingedgedeffectiveempiercement
Show 71 more words
enthrallingentrancingescharoticexcessiveexcruciatingexorbitantexquisiteextravagantextremefarseeingfarsightedfascinatingfiercefixingforcefulforcibleforeseeingforesightedforethoughtedforethoughtfulfortefortissimofreezingfreezing coldfrigidfrostyfullfuriousgelidglacialgnawinggoringgratinggravegreatgripinggrippinggutsyhardharrowingharshheartfelthibernalhiemalhighhigh-pitchedhomefelthowlinghurtfulhurtinghyperboreanice coldice-coldice-encrustedicelikeicyimmoderateimpalementimperativeimpressiveincisiveinclementindelibleintemperateintenseirritatingkeenkeeningknifelikeknifinglancing
Adjective(7 words)
Noun(11 words)
Verb(1 words)
Related words (182)
longheadedlongsightedloudloud-soundingloudishmordaciousmordantnervousnippingnippynoisynose ticklingnose-ticklingnumbingoutrageouspainfulparoxysmalpealingpenetratingpenetration
Show 117 more words
perceptivepercipientperforationperspicaciousperspicuouspervadingpinchingpipingpiquantplangentpoignantpointedpowerfulprickingprobingprofoundprovidentpunchingpunchypuncturepuncturingpungentrackingraucousrawreedyreekingresoundingrigorousringingroaringroughsagaciousscathingscorchingscreakyscreamingscreechingscreechysearchingsensationalseveresharpshootingshrewdshriekingshriekyshrillsiberiansinewedsinewyskeweringslashingsleetyslushysnappysonoroussourspasmaticspasmicspasmodicspellbindingsplittingsqueakingsqueakystabbingstentoraphonicstentorianstentoriousstingingstone coldstone-coldstridentstrikingstringentstrongsubzerosupercooledtarttellingterebrationthe swordthinthunderingthunderoustonitruanttonitruoustormentingtorturoustoughtransfixationtransfixiontransforationtrebletrenchanttrepanningtrephiningululantunconscionableunderstandingvehementvenomousvigorousviolentvirulentvitalvitriolicwailingwhiningwhistlingwindow-rattlingwinterboundwinterlikewinterywintrywitheringwitty
Noun(21 words)
needlingopeningpeeringpencil jabpenetratepenetratingpenetrationperforateperforationpermeatepuncturesharpyshrillshrillingsopranospearingsquawkingsquealingtransfixingyelping
Show 1 more word
Adjective(21 words)
noisiestpenetratingpenetrativepoignant scenepointierpointiestscathing reviewscreechierscreechiestsearingsearing heatsharpsharp incenseshrillershrillestspikiersqueakiersqueakieststabbingtinny
Show 1 more word
Adjective(1 words)
Verb(2 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: absorbing, acerb, acerbate, acerbic, acid.
- Sentence evidence is available for piercing, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "piercing".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "piercing"
Keep "piercing" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "piercing" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "piercing", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "piercing" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
12 entriesMore specific
17 entriesapertureboredrillingear piercingeyebrow piercingholeincisivenesskeenlight penetrationlip piercingnose piercingpenetrationperforationpunctureshrillsignal penetration
Showing 16 of 17 words.
Collocations
13 entriesbody piercingear piercingnose piercingpiercing gazepiercing instrumentpiercing lightpiercing noisepiercing painpiercing questionpiercing remarkpiercing screampiercing the veilpiercing through armor
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
2 entriesTranslations
21 translations across 16 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- թորիծ noun (hole for jewelry)
Catalan
1 entries- pírcing noun (hole for jewelry)
Chinese Mandarin
3 entries- 刺穿 noun (hole for jewelry)
- 沖孔 /冲孔 noun (hole for jewelry)
- 穿洞 noun (hole for jewelry)
Dutch
1 entries- piercing noun (hole for jewelry)
Finnish
1 entries- lävistys noun (hole for jewelry)
French
1 entries- piercing noun (hole for jewelry)
Georgian
1 entries- პირსინგი noun (hole for jewelry)
German
1 entries- Piercing noun (hole for jewelry)
Italian
1 entries- foro noun (hole for jewelry)
Japanese
1 entries- ピアスホール noun (hole for jewelry)
Polish
1 entries- piercing noun (hole for jewelry)
Portuguese
2 entries- piercing noun (hole for jewelry)
- pírcingue noun (hole for jewelry)
Russian
2 entries- пи́рсинг noun (hole for jewelry)
- прока́лывание noun (hole for jewelry)
Spanish
2 entries- piercing noun (hole for jewelry)
- pirsin noun (hole for jewelry)
Swedish
1 entries- piercing noun (hole for jewelry)
Turkish
1 entries- pirsing noun (hole for jewelry)
Sample sentences
14 total sentences available.
The xylophone's piercing high notes have bloodied ears around the world.
Source: tatoeba (814460)
You have very piercing eyes.
Source: tatoeba (1064521)
What is a daith piercing?
Source: tatoeba (1356496)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "piercing"?
Closest matches include absorbing, acerb, acerbate, acerbic, acid.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "piercing"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.