What does pierce mean?
Pierce means to make a hole in something or to pass through it, often using a pointed or sharp object. A needle may pierce cloth, a bullet may pierce a wall, or a beam of light may pierce darkness. The verb also has a figurative use: a sound can pierce the silence, and words or emotions can pierce someone’s defenses or heart. In these contexts, the word suggests force, sharpness, and strong impact rather than merely touching or passing through. Pierce is a versatile verb used in literal descriptions as well as in literary and dramatic language. It can imply physical penetration, such as piercing skin or metal, or emotional and sensory penetration, such as piercing a silence or breaking through someone’s emotional defenses.
To make a hole in or pass through a material or object, especially with a sharp instrument; to penetrate.
"He pierced the cardboard with a pencil."
Often transitive. “Pierce through” is possible but can sound more emphatic or descriptive.
To affect someone deeply, especially by causing an intense emotional response.
"The injustice of the situation pierced her with anger."
Figurative and commonly used with light, sound, words, pain, or emotions.
From a needle entering cloth to a cry cutting through a room, 'pierce' captures the moment something sharply breaks through.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pierce come from?
Pierce comes through Old French percer, meaning “to pierce” or “bore through.” The Old French word was influenced by Latin perforare, formed from the prefix per-, meaning “through,” and forare, meaning “to bore.” English borrowed the word in the Middle English period, and its derivatives include perforate and perforation. Related forms reflect the same long-established idea of making an opening through a surface.
Related word forms
How pierce is actually used
The verb is common in both formal and informal contexts. In figurative use, especially with light, sound, pain, or emotion, it suggests a strong and often sudden effect.
Easily confused with pierce
To pierce means to make a hole in or pass through something, whereas to peer means to look carefully, especially with difficulty.
Pierce is a verb meaning to penetrate or make a hole, while piers is the plural of pier, a structure extending into water.