puncture

UK: /ˈpʌŋktʃə^r/ US: /ˈpʌŋktʃɚ/ ,(pungk′chər)

Inflections of 'puncture' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

punctures

v 3rd person singular

puncturing

v pres p

punctured

v past

punctured

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

punc•ture /ˈpʌŋktʃɚ/   n., v., -tured, -tur•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. the act of piercing or making a hole in something, as with a pointed instrument or object.
2. a hole or mark so made:
   punctures from the needle.

v. 

3. to (cause to) be pierced;
   to (cause to) have a hole made in, as with a pointed instrument: [~ + object]
   The tire was punctured by a nail.
   [no object]
   The tires punctured with a bang.
4. to make (a hole) by piercing:
   [~ + object] punctured holes in the top of the jar.
5. to reduce or make less as if by piercing:
   [~ + object] The failure punctured her pride.
6. to cause to collapse or disintegrate:
   [~ + object] to puncture a dream of success.

See -punct-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

punc•ture  (pungk′chər), n., v., -tured, -tur•ing. 
n. 

1. the act of piercing or perforating, as with a pointed instrument or object.
2. a hole or mark so made.
3. Zoology a small pointlike depression.

v.t. 

4. to pierce or perforate, as with a pointed instrument:
   to puncture leather with an awl.
5. to make (a hole, perforation, etc.) by piercing or perforating:
   He punctured a row of holes in the cardboard.
6. to make a puncture in:
   A piece of glass punctured the tire.
7. to reduce or diminish as if by piercing;
   damage;
   wound:
   to puncture a person's pride.
8. to cause to collapse or disintegrate;
   spoil;
   ruin:
   to puncture one's dream of success.

v.i. 

9. to become punctured:
   These tires do not puncture easily.

• Latin pūnctūra a pricking, equivalent. to pūnct(us) (past participle of pungere to pierce; see pungent), + -ūra -ure
• Middle English 1350–1400

punc′tur•a•ble, adj. 
punc′ture•less, adj. 
punc′tur•er, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. break, rupture, perforation.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

puncture / ˈpʌŋktʃə/ noun

1. a small hole made by a sharp object
2. a perforation and loss of pressure in a pneumatic tyre, made by sharp stones, glass, etc
3. the act of puncturing or perforating

verb

1. (transitive) to pierce (a hole) in (something) with a sharp object
2. to cause (something pressurized, esp a tyre) to lose pressure by piercing, or (of a tyre, etc) to be pierced and collapse in this way
3. (transitive) to depreciate (a person's self-esteem, pomposity, etc)

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin punctūra, from pungere to prick