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
-
He was identified as Maximillion Luz Flores Hernández of the same block where he was fatally stabbed, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Delap had been a javelin thrower in his youth, becoming local champion for his athletics club in Carlisle.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
-
The Kansas City native excelled in high school track and field as a shot putter, and threw the discus and javelin.—
Bruce Feldman,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The Big Red punctured the scoreboard first when sophomore attackman Ryan Waldman dodged the left alley and scored with 10:38 left in the first quarter.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
26 May 2025
-
Memories linger from past hurricanes with limbs puncturing roofs, car windows smashed and lives disrupted.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 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 Bears lacked a veteran presence at quarterback last season during a crucial time when No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams could’ve used an experienced teammate to lean on.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2025
-
Speaking of the color-correcting actives, users can customize their tan to counteract skin concerns—just pick based on the bottle color.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
2 June 2025
Verb
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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
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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 10 Jun. 2025.
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