speared; spearing; spears
1
: to pierce, strike, or take with or as if with a spear
spear salmon
speared a chop from the platter
2
: to catch (something, such as a baseball) with a sudden thrust of the arm
3
a
ice hockey
: to jab (an opposing player) with the blade of one's stick
All game, the Caps held, hooked, slashed, speared, chopped, and bopped … the Rangers' European players.—
Stu Hackel
Stu Hackel
b
American football
: to ram (an opposing player) with one's helmet
… defensive end Ben Davidson set off a sidelines-clearing scrum when he speared Dawson from behind after he was down.—Jim Trotter
Jim Trotter
: to thrust at or wound something with or as if with a spear
spearer
noun
: paternal sense 3
the spear side of the family
compare distaff
speared; spearing; spears
: a usually young blade, shoot, or sprout (as of grass)
Synonyms
Examples of spear in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the Roman gladiator thrust his spear triumphantly into the lion's side
Verb (1)
she speared a pea with her fork and angrily flung it
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Balsamo, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2024
Another surfer last December who was also surfing off an Indonesian island was speared in the armpit by a needle fish, and suffered a punctured lung but survived, the publication Surfer reported.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Nov. 2024
The tomato base has a special kick and is jam-packed with a bouquet of savory comfort foods on wooden spears.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spear 
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Verb
The allegations detailed serious safety and security issues at the jail, including charges after two inmates were stabbed to death and another was speared in the spine with a makeshift icepick.
—Michael Balsamo, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2024
Another surfer last December who was also surfing off an Indonesian island was speared in the armpit by a needle fish, and suffered a punctured lung but survived, the publication Surfer reported.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
Noun
Clean and dry a large sweet potato, then cut it into 1-inch wide spears.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Nov. 2024
The tomato base has a special kick and is jam-packed with a bouquet of savory comfort foods on wooden spears.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spear
Dictionary Entries Near spear
Cite this Entry
“Spear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spear. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spear
2 of 3 verb
: to pierce or strike with or as if with a spear
spearer
noun
spear
3 of 3 noun
: a usually young blade, shoot, or sprout (as of grass)
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