impaling

verb

present participle of impale
as in stabbing
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object impale a marshmallow or two on that stick and let's start toasting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of impaling Back in the family’s house, the walking corpse shoves a boy onto the dishwasher, impaling him full of cutlery. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026 Hickory Hills and Bridgeview area residents stood outside their apartment building Friday looking at the roof blown off and a piece of wood impaling a garage. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026 Stevenson, who was on probation and is not legally allowed to own a firearm, is accused of killing his victim after impaling him with an arrow, according to the RPD. — Chris Spargo, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impaling
  1. stabbing
  2. puncturing
  3. piercing
  4. jabbing
  5. picking
  6. sticking
Verb
  • The film centers on a New York murder trial where a teenage boy is accused of stabbing his abusive dad and a jury has the kid's fate in their hands.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • In one ⁠instance, the suspect is accused ​of personally taking part in the killing by stabbing a victim in the chest with a knife, the prosecutors said.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 1 July 2026
Definition of stabbing
Verb
  • On June 3, Walden went to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed the metal bristle had become lodged in his bowel and had begun puncturing his intestine.
    — Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 30 June 2026
  • Where there’s normally carpet or hardwood floors, there are rocks, puncturing bare feet with each step.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of puncturing
Verb
  • Granite cliffs piercing the sea and the sky are Acadia National Park’s most recognizable feature.
    — Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
  • Her flat, piercing groundstrokes and booming serve are perfect for grass, and defending champion Świątek will need to calm down her serving roller coaster to stay in touch.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of piercing
Verb
  • The show ushered in a new era of winking, elbow-jabbing meta-musicals.
    — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • The audience groaned, while Vergara and Mel B screamed for Strange to stop jabbing at his partner through the box.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026
Definition of jabbing
Verb
  • Bryce Eldridge handled the rest, picking Schmitt’s throw out of the dirt to complete the double play.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
  • The studio showed strong instincts when picking creative partners on the horror side, too.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026
Definition of picking
Verb
  • Perrineau is weary, if not quite as wrecked as the car sticking halfway out of the far wall.
    — Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
  • The banana leaf acts as a protective barrier, preventing the salmon from sticking or drying out during the slow roast.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of sticking

Browse Nearby Words

impales
impaling
impalpable
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Cite this Entry

“Impaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impaling. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on impaling

Nglish: Translation of impaling for Spanish Speakers

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