punc·ture
ˈpəŋk-chər 
1
: an act of puncturing
2
: a hole, wound, or perforation made by puncturing
3
: a minute depression
punctured; puncturing
ˈpəŋk-chə-riŋ
ˈpəŋk-shriŋ
1
: to pierce with or as if with a pointed instrument or object
2
: to make useless or ineffective as if by a puncture : deflate
: to become punctured
Synonyms
Examples of puncture in a Sentence
Noun
a slight puncture of the skin
a leak caused by several small punctures in the rubber gasket
Verb
a nail punctured the tire
I could never puncture my own skin with a hypodermic needle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
Doctors at the hospital allegedly told police Hannah had three puncture wounds, per the affidavit.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
Christopher Damien, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
In 2010, swordfish attacked an Angolan oil pipeline, puncturing an oil loading pipe and delaying tanker shipments, Reuters reported.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puncture 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Surrounding that is the environmental protective garment (EPG), the heavy, visible, outer covering of the suit that protects the astronauts from cuts and punctures on a lunar terrain that bristles with jagged rocks and scarps.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
Doctors at the hospital allegedly told police Hannah had three puncture wounds, per the affidavit.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
Sheriff Bianco attributed Solis’s death to suffocation and blood loss after his jugular vein was punctured.
—Christopher Damien, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
In 2010, swordfish attacked an Angolan oil pipeline, puncturing an oil loading pipe and delaying tanker shipments, Reuters reported.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puncture
Dictionary Entries Near puncture
Cite this Entry
“Puncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puncture. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
puncture
1 of 2 noun
punc·ture
ˈpəŋ(k)-chər
1
: the act of puncturing
2
: a hole or wound made by puncturing
a slight puncture of the skin
a tire puncture
puncture
2 of 2 verb
punctured; puncturing
ˈpəŋ(k)-chə-riŋ
ˈpəŋ(k)-shriŋ
1
: to make a hole with a point
a nail punctured the tire
2
: to suffer a puncture of
punctured the tire on a nail
3
: to become punctured
worn tires puncture easily
4
: to make useless or ridiculous as if by a puncture
puncture an argument
Medical Definition
puncture
1 of 2 noun
punc·ture
ˈpəŋ(k)-chər
1
: an act of puncturing
2
: a hole, wound, or perforation made by puncturing
puncture
2 of 2 verb
punctured; puncturing
ˈpəŋ(k)-chə-riŋ, ˈpəŋ(k)-shriŋ
: to pierce with or as if with a pointed instrument or object
puncture the skin with a needle
: to become punctured
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share