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
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2026
The needle-like foliage is fragrant and the distinctive flavor is used to season vegetables and meat.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2026
Devon Henderson, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
American Olympian Lindsey Vonn fired back at critics who needled her for taking a spot on Team USA despite having a ruptured ACL and later breaking her leg.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
What actually moves the needle is when creators and platforms commit to working with developmental psychologists and child development researchers from the very beginning, as a core part of how content gets made.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2026
The needle-like foliage is fragrant and the distinctive flavor is used to season vegetables and meat.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
Eugenio Suárez, from Venezuela, jokingly cheered for Canada to needle his teammates.
—Devon Henderson, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
American Olympian Lindsey Vonn fired back at critics who needled her for taking a spot on Team USA despite having a ruptured ACL and later breaking her leg.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
-
No syringe was found at the scene.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in 2014 with a syringe in his arm and a lethal combination of heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine in his system.—
Jack Hannah,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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State auditors have reported that a high survival rate among a hospice provider's patients can be a key indicator for fraud because most people seeking palliative care are expected to be in the final stages of a terminal illness.—
Grace Manthey,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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There’s a speaker in the upper left corner, while a microphone and status indicators for power, cellular connectivity, and alarm activity are along the bottom edge of the device.—
John R. Delaney,
PC Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Or maybe, as some eyebrow-raising posts on social media jokingly teased, foreshadowing a possible papal presidential run?—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Bieber teased his headlining set with a preview performance at the Roxy in Los Angeles just over a week before the festival.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Inspired by UConn, other schools in the state, including Eastern Connecticut State University, Central Connecticut State University and the University of Saint Joseph, host dogs almost every week.—
Mikayla Bunnell,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
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Corruption allegations also dogged the takeover bid.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Asia-Pacific markets whipsawed in volatile trading on Tuesday, with major indices flipping to losses in the morning session, as uncertainty surrounding the war weighs on investor sentiment.—
Hugh Leask,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
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All three indices remain below pre-Iran war levels.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Then, guards who worked for the contractor Critical Response Strategies began taunting detainees, threatening to enter the cage where immigrants were held.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
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That strategy, known as exon skipping, would taunt Debra for two decades, always promising a therapy just out of reach.—
Jason Mast,
STAT,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One of the most well-known is Kitboga, a YouTube personality, scammer-baiting streamer, and the founder of an anti-scam software company.—
Kim Key,
PC Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
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Whereas fast fashion baits consumers with poorly made clothing available for a limited time, Jendue takes a more elevated approach with high quality denim from Turkey.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In recent weeks, a growing number of business leaders in Russia have voiced concern about the sweeping restrictions and urged authorities to take a more moderate approach.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Destiny calls loudly as passionate Mars charges into your 9th House of Distance, urging you to attempt things that are literally or metaphorically far from your comfort zone.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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