ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Piercing

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈpɪɹsɪŋ/ · Part of speech verb

Quick meaning: Piercing is a verb meaning present participle and gerund of pierce.

Meaning

present participle and gerund of pierce.

More Meanings

  1. gerund of pierce
  2. A hole made in the body so that jewellery can be worn through it.
  3. An item of jewellery designed to be fitted through a piercing (noun sense 2).
  4. Appearing to look deeply into; penetrating.
  5. Of temperature, extremely cold so that it penetrates through clothing and shelter.
  6. Of sound, loud and sharp; shrill.

Example Sentences

ear piercing
piercing eyes
The piercing noise of the children could be heard two blocks from the elementary school.
In the meantime the saw was stopped and two of the men began filing and sharpening the blades, which produced such a piercing sound that it went through bone and marrow.

Word Forms

Synonyms for piercing

Depending on context, synonyms include gimlety, raw, keen, sharp, perceptive, incisive.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include sharp, cutting, penetrating, stabbing, penetrative, knifelike.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.