as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
doctors used to lance infected sores, so that they could drain clean
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lance
Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Points are scored if a rider breaks the tip of their lances on the other rider's shield.
—Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 12 Mar. 2024
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2024
This week, an Israeli missile lanced through his house, killing the 23 people inside, including more than a dozen women and two children.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lance
Noun
Multiply the rain’s lances, multiply their ruin, the grace born from subtraction as the hold’s iron door
rolled over their eyes like pots left out in the rain,
and the bolt rammed home its echo, the way that thunder-
claps perpetuate their reverberation.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Points are scored if a rider breaks the tip of their lances on the other rider's shield.
—Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 12 Mar. 2024
Verb
Friday, when Lebanese officials say two Israeli missiles lanced through the Zahra family‘s three-story building.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2024
This week, an Israeli missile lanced through his house, killing the 23 people inside, including more than a dozen women and two children.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lance
Noun
-
Chick-fil-A and Chipotle were the tip of the spear in augmenting new restaurant locations last year among top brands, per a new report from food service research firm Technomic.—
Joseph Zeballos-Roig,
Quartz,
27 May 2025
-
One galaxy wielded a superior weapon: a quasar that emitted a spear of radiation.—
Paul Smaglik,
Discover Magazine,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has tried for months to find a Boise man — accused of stabbing his roommate to death — competent enough to stand trial for his first-degree murder charge.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
6 June 2025
-
Best for Plantar Fasciitis: Asics Gel-Nimbus 27 Plantar fasciitis, which is usually characterized by a stabbing sensation in your heel or arch, is another common source of discomfort for runners.—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
The decathlon will be contested Wednesday, June 11 (100, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400), and Thursday, June 12 (110 hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, 1,500).—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
10 June 2025
-
Flagpole through the chest (Final Destination 3) Perry Malinowski (Maggie Ma) is impaled by a flagpole that whizzes through the air, javelin style.—
Gayle Sequeira,
Vulture,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
The dura can be damaged from head injuries or punctured during surgical procedures involving the sinuses, brain or spine, such as lumbar puncture, epidurals, spinal anesthesia or myelogram.—
Danielle Wilhour,
The Conversation,
28 May 2025
-
That is why dropping a game in this fashion punctures the soul.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Your allies probably have LGBTQ+ coworkers, cousins or that person from their yoga class who has a labret piercing and a rainbow carabiner.—
Anna Pulley,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
-
This mistake of not tackling law, tax and financial decisions in a unified manner results in the corporate veil being pierced, personal assets being liquidated, and even bankruptcies and liquidations.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
Sun Sentinel Miss Manners: The way my wife stabs meat at the table has bothered me for 50 years Miss Manners: The way my wife jabs meat at the dinner table has bothered me for half a century.—
South Florida Sun Sentinel,
Sun Sentinel,
16 May 2025
-
But the director maintains a strong level of realistic tension, sticking to Camille’s side as the boy takes plenty of blows but dishes out plenty as well, jabbing his way towards a form of self-realization.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
The search for a permanent replacement is ongoing, and the district aims to pick a candidate later this fall.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2025
-
Prosecutors say Abrego Garcia made more than 100 trips, typically transporting people within the country after picking them up in the Houston area.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
Verb
-
And while other candidates have brought up the allegations and hit at Cuomo's record, no one attack seems to be sticking, and polling shows that Cuomo remains the front-runner.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
4 June 2025
-
Only a year ago, Google released AI Overviews, a search feature that told users to eat rocks and use glue to stick cheese to pizza.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lance. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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