as in stabs
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
she speared a pea with her fork and angrily flung it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spears
Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
Pão de queijo, as moreish as popcorn, manioc gnocchi, rock-pool sea urchins and Tainha fish, caught by local fishermen who still use traditional canoes and spears, are all served on banana leaves on a wooden table outdoors.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
That means fresh and tender asparagus spears, crunchy snap pea pods, and spicy radishes are in season.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
Some of the Bindjareb attempted to escape, while others grabbed their spears, and at least five Bindjareb individuals were killed in the resulting skirmish.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
Before storing it, remove any ties or rubber bands so the spears are not tied together.
—Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 31 Mar. 2026
Sexy little spears of Green Asparagus (there’s also white and purple varieties) spring’s top stalk option, high in folates and digestive enzymes, elevate every plate (just pinch your nose when nature calls later).
—Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
But the calendar has turned, and the spears now point inward.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Feb. 2026
Other sufferers, however, who submitted entries to the 1983 Migraine Art Competition, depicted their pain in drawings and paintings of nails, needles, axes, ice picks, arrows, bolts, jaws, chisels, shivs, guns, red-hot spears, sledgehammers, devils, and long pins.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
Smashing the spears with a rolling pin and dressing them in lemon and olive oil magically tenderizes the otherwise tough veg.
—Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
Pão de queijo, as moreish as popcorn, manioc gnocchi, rock-pool sea urchins and Tainha fish, caught by local fishermen who still use traditional canoes and spears, are all served on banana leaves on a wooden table outdoors.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
That means fresh and tender asparagus spears, crunchy snap pea pods, and spicy radishes are in season.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
Some of the Bindjareb attempted to escape, while others grabbed their spears, and at least five Bindjareb individuals were killed in the resulting skirmish.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
Before storing it, remove any ties or rubber bands so the spears are not tied together.
—Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 31 Mar. 2026
Sexy little spears of Green Asparagus (there’s also white and purple varieties) spring’s top stalk option, high in folates and digestive enzymes, elevate every plate (just pinch your nose when nature calls later).
—Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
But the calendar has turned, and the spears now point inward.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Feb. 2026
Other sufferers, however, who submitted entries to the 1983 Migraine Art Competition, depicted their pain in drawings and paintings of nails, needles, axes, ice picks, arrows, bolts, jaws, chisels, shivs, guns, red-hot spears, sledgehammers, devils, and long pins.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spears
Noun
-
Humans have been throwing javelins for a few hundred thousand years, yet performance has largely plateaued.—
R. Alexander Bentley,
The Conversation,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms.—
Laurent Dubois,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The shower curtain opens, revealing an old woman, who stabs and decapitates Mary.—
Therie Hendrey-Seabrook,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
18 Mar. 2026
-
But this person who was a friend, who owes her career to me, just stabs me in the back.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Warhorses charge, lances down, crashing through the tilts as lances break on shields and men topple from their steeds.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Seven picks later, the Rams jolted the league by calling Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
For decluttering, storage picks like this bench with a spacious hidden compartment, a lockable deck box, and a generous-sized shed are all on sale for Way Day.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Joel, a 19‑year veteran, begins pursuing after another officer deploys a spike strip and punctures the Challenger's tires.—
Kelsy Mittauer,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The narrower design, combined with the several sharp teeth, effectively punctures through tough pepper skin and hard fruits to cut out the core and remove seeds in a matter of seconds.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Lower the heat to medium-high and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and a paring knife easily pierces a potato, about 15 minutes.—
C.W. Cameron,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
So people are just getting this enormous number of at bats in the hopes of trying to find the thing that sticks.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Lohan's day of filming included a version that sticks closely to the original blueprint.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The public jabs from the president have angered some Catholics, the single largest religious denomination in the United States, according to Pew Research Center.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Donald Trump‘s effort today to praise his new Homeland Security Secretary and defend him from Jimmy Kimmel‘s jabs kind of backfired.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spears. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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