needle-nose pliers

noun

nee·​dle-nose pliers ˈnē-dᵊl-ˌnōz- How to pronounce needle-nose pliers (audio)
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: pliers with long slender jaws used for grasping small or thin objects

Examples of needle-nose pliers in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One way to remove a broken bulb, as per MacDonald, is by fixing a set of needle-nose pliers to the base of the cap. Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2022 Grab a pair of needle-nose pliers and a ripe peach. Ella Quittner, Bon Appétit, 16 July 2022 For more great additions to your tool set, check out our picks for the best cordless drills, needle-nose pliers, and electric screwdrivers. Alex Rennie, Popular Mechanics, 24 July 2022 For those who lack needle-nose pliers, old stand-bys—like the wedge-and-twist method, in which one cuts a peach into halves or quarters, then twists the flesh from the pit—are going nowhere. Ella Quittner, Bon Appétit, 16 July 2022 Remove a rope plug from the plastic wrapper, flatten one end with the needle-nose pliers, and push it through the eyelet on the installation tool. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 31 May 2020 Don’t forget a net for hauling in fish, a pair of needle-nose pliers to help remove the hook, and a knife for cutting line. Outside Online, 17 June 2020 But one thing needle-nose pliers can’t do—even ones with serrated jaws—is effectively grip bolt heads without stripping them. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 25 Feb. 2022 Police found shards of glass and a needle-nose pliers inside the window’s curtains. Daily Southtown Staff, chicagotribune.com, 20 July 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'needle-nose pliers.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of needle-nose pliers was in 1971

Dictionary Entries Near needle-nose pliers

Cite this Entry

“Needle-nose pliers.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needle-nose%20pliers. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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