needle 1 of 2

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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2
as in indicator
an arrow-shaped piece on a dial or scale for registering information simply by reading the compass needle you should be able to figure out in which direction we're heading

Synonyms & Similar Words

needle

2 of 2

verb

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 needle
Noun
This was a great moment when game met celeb, which is always the trickiest needle to thread on The Tonight Show. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025 But that doesn’t mean this won’t be a tough needle to thread. Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 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
  • This realistic doctor’s coat has everything your aspiring doctor needs to give their patients a check-up, including a face mask, a stethoscope with sound effects (AAA batteries not included), thermometer, syringe, reflex hammer, and reusable name tag.
    Katrina Cossey, Parents, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Typically harvested from the thighs or abdomen via liposuction or a syringe, fat is gently purified and re-injected to restore volume and smooth wrinkles on the face, hands, and beyond.
    Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • These spinning air and dust columns present a visual indicator for otherwise invisible wind movements.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Adams said turnout during a non-presidential primary election is typically around 15% statewide, and statistics from 2022 and 2023 are indicators on what to expect in 2026.
    Hannah Pinski, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Jay Som is teasing her new album Belong (out Friday) with a song featuring Hayley Williams.
    Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The creative teams tease what's ahead in 2026 from IDW Dark.
    Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Stacey’s dogged dedication to existing in her truth is clearly going to grate further and further on the women as the season proceeds.
    Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Founded in 2000 by South Korean pastor David Jang, Olivet has been dogged by legal troubles for a decade and has denied all of the criminal and civil allegations against it.
    Naveed Jamali, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • If investor sentiment around AI sours, or if progress stalls owing to technological bottlenecks or supply constraints, equity prices could tumble—and, given the degree of market concentration, such an adjustment would ripple rapidly through broad market indices, affecting millions of investors.
    Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Tuesday's pullback broke the S & P 500's seven-session win streak, but the index was bouncing back thanks to a rebound in AI infrastructure and technology stocks.
    Jeff Marks,Paulina Likos, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Political fevers heightened with the near‑constant barrage of national cable news, usually spun by left‑ or right‑leaning media and amplified by taunting tweets.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Goldberg and Behar taunted producer Brian Teta for rushing the EGOT-winning actress along during a Hot Topics chat.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • From cozy cashmere knitwear to fine-gauge standbys from Vince and Iro, there are tons of goodies.
    Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
  • That trend is supported by the Conference Board’s gauge of whether jobs are easy to get or hard to find, which fell to the lowest level since early 2021 and points to an increase in unemployment.
    Danny Bakst, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Falcons will be particularly careful about the way Allen uses his pre-snap cadence to force penalties and try to bait defenses into revealing clues about their coverage plans, Elliss said.
    Josh Kendall, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Amazon is really baiting us to breakup with our iPads by offering 50% off the newest generation of their Fire tablet.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.

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