: a piece of jewelry (such as a ring or stud) that is attached to pierced flesh
Examples of piercing in a Sentence
Adjective
She looked at me with piercing eyes, and I was suddenly frightened that she knew what I had done.
I tried to avoid his piercing stare.
She felt a piercing sadness when she heard the news.
Noun
There's a small shop in town where they do tattooing and body piercing.
She got another ear piercing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Mars merging with Pluto can hit you with a piercing moment of honesty.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Sacbee.com, 12 Mar. 2026
This is a great time for getting a new haircut or otherwise updating your style, perhaps even with something as permanent as a tattoo or piercing.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for piercing
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Adjective
The ping of pickleball play produces a uniquely piercing and repetitive sound that has led to contentious lawsuits and controversies across the entire country, including just north in Fox Point, as the sport has rapidly grown in popularity over the last few years.
—Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Mars merging with Pluto can hit you with a piercing moment of honesty.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Indulge yourself in Friday the 13th flash sales on tattoos and piercings from parlors and studios throughout Sacramento.
—Sacbee.com, 12 Mar. 2026
This is a great time for getting a new haircut or otherwise updating your style, perhaps even with something as permanent as a tattoo or piercing.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for piercing
Cite this Entry
“Piercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piercing. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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