transfixing

verb

present participle of transfix
as in piercing
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object transfixed the inanimate butterfly specimens to the collection board

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 transfixing What makes Sam McConnell’s film transfixing, however, is the very personal nature of the drama, written by star Brock Yurich and clearly inspired by his own story. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026 Brazen, physical, able to do more with one (yes) intense gesture than with reams of dialogue, his Bullseye is transfixing. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transfixing
  1. piercing
  2. stabbing
  3. puncturing
  4. jabbing
  5. picking
  6. sticking
Verb
  • Agents then raided the Wynwood apartment and found 540 kilos (almost 1,200 pounds) of cocaine, $3 million in cash, 14 firearms and more than 100 rounds of armor-piercing bullets, prosecutors say.
    — David Goodhue August 26, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Claire’s is trying to recapture its glory as the go-to destination for both tween girls and for piercing.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of piercing
Verb
  • As officers worked on one stabbing scene, more calls came in — another stabbing, then another, then three more, all before officers tracked down and arrested the suspect nearby.
    — Maddie White, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • While at the scene, they were notified by BART police that a third stabbing victim had been found near the Fruitvale station.
    — Jason Green, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of stabbing
Verb
  • The shrapnel tore through the metal surrounding the engine, shattering the window at row 11, leaving a dent in the plane near row 8 and puncturing the body below the wing, as well as gouging and denting the tail, the NTSB said.
    — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • According to the company website, the glove is designed to disrupt sensory nerves without puncturing or burning the skin.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of puncturing
Verb
  • Years ago, after Jake died, my instinct as a medical student was anger — clenching my teeth and jabbing a pen into my notepad, making a line of inky holes along the margin.
    — Caroline Cherston, STAT, 25 Aug. 2026
  • That’s partly the result of actions by Curtis, like taking customer’s phone calls and jabbing at a competitor on social media.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of jabbing
Verb
  • Allergists recommend bypassing diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and instead, picking your favorite nonsedating antihistamine pill, like fexofenadine (Allegra), loratadine (Claritin) or cetirizine (Zyrtec), according to the World Allergy Organization.
    — Dr. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Now, the state is essentially picking winners, not rescuing big US companies that are deemed critical to the economy.
    — Norah Rami, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of picking
Verb
  • The Dodgers have no business sticking Ohtani back on the mound.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • On the podcast, Sheridan acknowledged the Jimmy connection, while sticking in the nail in the coffin on the series.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sticking

Browse Nearby Words

transfixes
transfixing
transform
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Transfixing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transfixing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All