1
as in syringe
a slender hollow instrument by which material is put into or taken from the body through the skin
the nurse inserted the needle into his vein and collected some blood for testing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in to tease
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
we needled him mercilessly for thinking that he had any chance of being the prom date for the school's most popular girl
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to dog
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders
quit needling me! I'll take out the trash in a minute!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of needle
Dave Smith, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Officers say the German shorthair mix appears healthy, aside from a few porcupine needles, and will be taken to a veterinarian for evaluation.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Brett Samuels, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025
Trump at one point needled Zelenskyy over Ukraine delaying elections.
—Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
The iPhone Air is Apple’s most audacious smartphone design in years, but that doesn’t seem to be moving the needle for customers, who have clearly put a premium on high-end cameras and battery life.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Officers say the German shorthair mix appears healthy, aside from a few porcupine needles, and will be taken to a veterinarian for evaluation.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Ukrainian leader also wore more formal attire, something that did not go unnoticed by pro-Trump reporter Brian Glenn, who in February needled Zelensky for his lack of a suit.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025
Trump at one point needled Zelenskyy over Ukraine delaying elections.
—Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
-
One of them manages to stick a syringe full of tranquilizers in her thigh.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Unfortunately, in the process, he's stabbed by the syringe Mehta intended for Lo and dies.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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With the government shutdown halting most economic data, the sharp one-week drop in mortgage rates stands out as one of the few indicators still being released.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
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In the quarter, Coca-Cola benefitted from stronger performance among premium brands such as Smartwater and Topo Chico, which the company noted were favored by higher-income consumers—an indicator that those segments may have been more willing or able to accept higher price points.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Other locations previously teased by Netflix include Little Garden, Whiskey Peak, Reverse Mountain, and Loguetown.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
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The New Jersey native also teased some new music on the way after some prying from Hudson.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The period was marked by the dramatic fall from grace of his younger brother, then-Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who admitted to smoking crack cocaine and then was dogged by evidence of a string of other abusive behavior.—
NPR,
NPR,
27 Oct. 2025
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Akey, dogged all night by Legend’s pass rushers, used her pure speed to score the game’s first touchdown, sprinting into the end zone from 7 yards out.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Dallas Federal Reserve’s September Energy Survey noted that the energy business activity index, the broadest measure of energy firm conditions, remained clearly in negative territory.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
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Coughlin hopes the index serves not only as a research paper but also as a movement and a call to action.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Kansas City took just one penalty — taunting, on Rashee Rice — but even that drive ended in a Rice touchdown.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Gilligan wants to see people from across the partisan spectrum interact face to face, instead of taunting each other online.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The most accurate way to check your tire pressure without a tire gauge is to take the vehicle to a mechanic.—
Stuart Dyos,
Nashville Tennessean,
22 Oct. 2025
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Last week, the VIX—Wall Street’s fear gauge—spiked to its highest level since April before easing, amid new trade policy uncertainties.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Matty also accepts an apology from Olympia, who feels bad about baiting her (and then recording her).—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
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LaFreniere digs a hole to hold a pipe, places bait at the bottom, and positions the pipe near a mature tree to anchor the cable.—
Bob McNally,
Outdoor Life,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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