English pronunciation · Words Starting with P
Piercing Pronunciation
Piercing is pronounced PIR-sing, IPA /ˈpɪrsɪŋ/.
PIR-sing
US /ˈpɪrsɪŋ/ · UK /ˈpiəsɪŋ/
Syllables: PIR · sing (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adjective and noun: Sharp enough to go through something, whether a sound, a look, or a hole made in the body for jewellery.
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Piercing in a Sentence
- A piercing whistle stopped the game.
- She got a second piercing in her left ear.
- The wind was piercing on the platform.
Common Mispronunciations of Piercing
Not PY-er-sing
The ie spelling here gives an ear sound, as in fierce and pier. It never says eye in this word.
Not pir-SING
The front half takes the beat, and the -ing trails off. A loud ending suggests a verb like assessing.
Tip: Start from the word pierce, which rhymes with fierce, and add ing.
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