piercing

noun
UK: /ˈpɪəsɪŋ/
US: /ˈpɪrsɪŋ/

  1. Making a hole in something using a sharp object.

    1. She got a piercing in her ear.
    2. The piercing of the baby's ears was a cultural tradition for the family.

  2. A hole in the body made by a needle so that jewelry can be worn.

    1. He has several piercings in his nose.
    2. Body piercing has become increasingly popular among young adults in recent years.

Synonyms

drilling intense sharp observant penetrating shrill acute
piercing adjective

  1. Having a sharp or intense quality, often referring to sounds or gazes.

    1. She had a piercing look.
    2. The piercing wind cut right through my jacket, making me shiver.

  2. Able to understand or notice things very quickly and intelligently.

    1. He has a piercing intellect.
    2. Her piercing questions revealed the flaws in their arguments quickly.
piercing verb

  1. Making a hole in something with a sharp object.

    1. I am piercing the paper.
    2. The doctor was piercing my skin to insert the needle for the injection.

  2. To go through something or someone.

    1. The sun was piercing clouds.
    2. The truth was piercing his delusion, and it hurt him so much.

  3. To suddenly understand something.

    1. I am piercing a message.
    2. With a sudden clarity, he was piercing the meaning of the ancient text.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "piercing" in English means: Making a hole in something using a sharp object., A hole in the body made by a needle so that jewelry can be worn..

The phonetic transcription of "piercing" is /ˈpɪəsɪŋ/ in British English and /ˈpɪrsɪŋ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "piercing": drilling, intense, sharp, observant, penetrating, shrill, acute.

Example usage of "piercing": "She got a piercing in her ear.". More examples on the page.