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
Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
The nest hoards of bearded vultures in southern Spain, where the species is extinct, were found to harbor such human artifacts as a crossbow bolt, a slingshot, a wooden lance, and a shoe with an approximate age of 675 years.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
If unresolved in two more weeks, lancing the lesion, doing a punch biopsy, or removing it might end up needing to be done.
—Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lance
Noun
The shooting spurts of goo, pus, and assorted bodily fluids are not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, but for those who enjoy watching an expert pop pimples, lance boils, and generally improve the quality of her patients' lives, Dr. Pimple Popper is sure to deliver.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
The nest hoards of bearded vultures in southern Spain, where the species is extinct, were found to harbor such human artifacts as a crossbow bolt, a slingshot, a wooden lance, and a shoe with an approximate age of 675 years.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
Verb
Sirens echoed in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with the nighttime skies over the latter lighted with bursts of yellow as missiles from Israel’s Arrow defense system lanced up to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
If unresolved in two more weeks, lancing the lesion, doing a punch biopsy, or removing it might end up needing to be done.
—Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lance
Noun
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The two traded heavy shots that spilled throughout the ringside area, with Punk smashing Reigns into the announce table and ring post while Reigns responded with a spear.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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There are bundles of taut chives still topped with blossoms, sweet and tender spears of asparagus, and creamy new potatoes all waiting to be snapped up.—
Editors of Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The teen was involved in an argument when his adversary stabbed him multiple times with a knife, said police.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Police allege the suspect then recklessly stabbed backward numerous times, striking the victim in the leg, according to Jaques.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Look no further than shortstop Mookie Betts this week lauding the effects of throwing a javelin.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
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Humans have been throwing javelins for a few hundred thousand years, yet performance has largely plateaued.—
R. Alexander Bentley,
The Conversation,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Wi-Fi 7's puncturing capability is designed to isolate the interference, enabling devices to use the remainder of the channel.—
Iyaz Akhtar,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
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The attack had punctured an air of invulnerability created by the 1967 Six-Day War, in which Israel had swiftly captured the Golan Heights, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, and Gaza from its Arab neighbors.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The couple’s 3-year-old son was grazed in the back by the bullet that pierced Kaori’s skull, police and witnesses said.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
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This should result in a sharper edge that can pierce things like tomato skin more easily.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The original stickers — the ones jabbing at Biden — started appearing in 2021.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Donald Trump‘s effort today to praise his new Homeland Security Secretary and defend him from Jimmy Kimmel‘s jabs kind of backfired.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Your job is to pick and choose your way through the heap.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
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Boo and Scout were hand-picked for the Bidens by staff at the animal welfare group.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The astronauts will stick close to home for the first 25 hours of their 10-day test flight, checking out the capsule in orbit around Earth before firing the main engine that will propel them to the moon.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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The average commuter spends 63 hours a year stuck in traffic.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lance. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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