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Glite Dictionary
ear-piercing

ear-piercing

1 4.1
Very loud, high sound that hurts your ears
  • adjective
  • /ˈɪrˌpɪr.sɪŋ/
translation icon : ensordecedor
  • It was strident, ear-piercing, yet completely without passion and emotion, as if her vocal cords were the unwitting vehicle of a cry that came from elsewhere.
  • ear-piercing shriek
  • ear-piercing screams
  • ear-piercing wail

Examples

  • The motorcycle continues sliding and spinning with an ear-piercing howl for one entire city block.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • As the fire alarm rang, the ear-piercing noise made everyone cover their ears.

  • Besides, just about everybody on that side of the store had stopped and turned to look, hoping to discover from where the ear-piercing scream had come.

    Blog text (12)

  • A growl came again, followed by an ear-piercing cry, and Tommy was spinning back.

    Blog text (25)

  • I finished playing the song and as I did, an ear piercing shriek blasted on my TV.

  • Loud, ear-piercing sounds of music came from the cafes' loudspeakers and filled the streets.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • A shrill scream cut through the roar, suddenly ear-piercing as the door of his office burst open.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • I gripped my magic bag as the steam discharged from the pistons, accompanied by a shrieking, ear-piercing whistle.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Ambulance after ambulance—there seemed to be hundreds—passed with ear-piercing screams, each tightening the faces of those who were walking because the buses had stopped running.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • The children's ear-piercing laughter filled the playground as they played tag.

Synonyms

shrill
vsear-piercing
31 4.8

A very high, sharp sound that is unpleasant and loud

is broader, stressing extreme loudness that makes listening painful
jarring
vsear-piercing
20 6.1

A loud, harsh sound that feels unpleasant and surprising

is more extreme in loudness and sharpness, not just discordance
deafening
vsear-piercing
9 3.5

An extremely loud sound that makes it hard to hear or causes temporary loss of hearing

is less about pure volume and more about sharp, uncomfortable tone
piercing
vsear-piercing
2 5.5

A very sharp, intense feeling or sound that seems to cut

is more about very loud, unpleasant noise than mere sharpness
blaring
vsear-piercing
1 4.4

A very loud, unpleasant sound that hurts your ears

is closer to sharp, high-pitched pain rather than only raw volume
grating
vsear-piercing
1 6.2

A harsh, unpleasant sound or voice that is hard to listen to

is louder and more high-pitched rather than merely rough
squealing
vsear-piercing
1 4.1

A high, sharp sound made by a mouse or brakes

is broader and more about painful loudness than thin high tones
earsplitting
vsear-piercing
6.3

Very loud in a way that hurts your ears

is similar but more about sharp, unpleasant tone than sheer volume

Antonyms

quiet
∞ 1.0

Not making much noise

soothing
81 2.9

That makes pain or worry feel less strong

How Piercing

ear-piercing
1 4.1
shrill
31 4.8
sharp
18 3.2
clear
40 1.0
mellow
46 3.9

Surface Forms

ear-piercing positive

Morphology

ear-piercing = ear + piercing (transparent) = ear + pierce + ing

The compound combines 'ear' and the adjective 'piercing' (derived from 'pierce' + -ing), so the meaning 'very sharp/shrill to the ear' is directly derivable.

Etymology

The word ear-piercing combines ear and piercing, which comes from the verb pierce meaning 'to make a hole'. Think of a sound that feels like a needle in your ear, sharp, loud, and uncomfortable to hear, and that image explains why we call very high, harsh noises ear-piercing.