1
: a steel-tipped spear carried by mounted knights or light cavalry
2
: any of various sharp objects suggestive of a lance: such as
a
: lancet
b
: a spear used for killing whales or fish
3
lanced; lancing
1
a
: to pierce with or as if with a lance
b
: to open with or as if with a lancet
lance a boil
2
: to throw forward : hurl
: to move forward quickly
Synonyms
Examples of lance in a Sentence
Noun
the lance struck squarely on the knight's shield, knocking him from his horse
Verb
He had the boil on his arm lanced.
doctors used to lance infected sores, so that they could drain clean
Recent Examples on the Web
Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 12 Mar. 2024
Lance Leaf Blanket Flower The three-lobed ray petals of lance leaf blanket flower, Gaillardia aestivalis, give the flowers a unique appearance.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 July 2024
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024
But 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 
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Noun
Eastwood put on his armor and galloped down a course on Tinkerbell, hitting a practice target with a lance at Hemphill's property.
—Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 12 Mar. 2024
Lance Leaf Blanket Flower The three-lobed ray petals of lance leaf blanket flower, Gaillardia aestivalis, give the flowers a unique appearance.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 July 2024
Verb
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
But 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
Dictionary Entries Near lance
Cite this Entry
“Lance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lance. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
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