1
as in punctures
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument
the immunization shot left a prick on my arm that turned into a bruise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in pains
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body
she felt a sharp prick when the nurse gave her the shot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pricks
Noun
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The onboard video from the Racing Bulls car reveals Lawson’s split-second oversteer snap correction played a big part in the collision that left both with punctures.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025 -
Battery systems based on it are also potentially safer (less prone to thermal runaway, may handle punctures better).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The movie takes pains to illustrate how the possible end of the world will begin like any other day.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
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Colleagues who failed to take similar pains earned his everlasting disdain.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Minnesota will be aggressive filling whatever holes spring up, and Reeve has proven to be resourceful.—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Drill small pilot holes a half inch from the sides of the board.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Despite its 2-5 record, Cleveland can throw some punches through one of the fiercest defensive lines in football.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
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Leo pulls no punches as Lizzo matches her intensity in a whisper.—
Meagan Jordan,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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These pangs are only compounded by the cliffhanger that concluded Season 2, in which President William Rayburn (Michael McKean) suffered a fatal heart attack and elevated his vice president, Grace Penn (Allison Janney), to the top of the call sheet.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
16 Oct. 2025
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Sharp cracks of gunfire pierced the morning air, loud, jarring pangs that echoed off the concrete.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But the patient, grinding work of peace implementation typically bores him.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
14 Oct. 2025
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In the film, one glowing maggot scores an oversized moth, wraps it up, then bores through its eye before eating its living brain.—
Ann Patchett,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Elderly consumers, who might seek gentle relief for aches or the comfort of a familiar ritual, are left stranded.—
Jahan Marcu,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
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The most common symptoms of flu include fever, headache, cough, sore throat and muscle aches.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Contractors Winston Semple and Glendon Simpson sustained multiple stings amid the attack, the outlets reported, citing the Guyana Police Force.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Barring RidgeRunner from the chamber has relatively few real-world implications, but the rejection’s symbolism stings.—
David Peisner,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Pricks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pricks. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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