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
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Recent Examples of needle
Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
The needles start out chartreuse green to a light green in the summer, turning orange in the fall.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
Johnson could have needled Woods about their windy Sunday stroll at Augusta in ’07, when Johnson trailed Stuart Appleby by two strokes, and Woods by one, heading into the last round in which Johnson’s 69 produced another slice of history.
—Jay Paris, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
An adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name and a sequel to The Shining, director Mike Flanagan threaded an impressive needle with 2019's Doctor Sleep.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
The needles start out chartreuse green to a light green in the summer, turning orange in the fall.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026
Verb
After injectable GLP-1s soared in popularity in recent years, the introduction of oral versions is seen as a way to expand the market to needle-adverse patients.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
Johnson could have needled Woods about their windy Sunday stroll at Augusta in ’07, when Johnson trailed Stuart Appleby by two strokes, and Woods by one, heading into the last round in which Johnson’s 69 produced another slice of history.
—Jay Paris, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
-
Who puts a syringe in a Pepsi can?—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
-
Something invisible dissolved in a syringe confronts something invisible inside someone—and an event doesn’t happen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Noun
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The overall score is based on a nation’s performance across 38 indicators in 12 categories, including tax treatment, rule of law, quality of life, investor and high-net-worth migration pathways, family inclusion, geopolitical stability, and capital mobility.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
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This squishy honor of a marshmallow doesn’t even require devouring it—the indicator that psychologists took as the signal of its depleted future life.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
Verb
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As Akanji whipped in a teasing delivery from the right, Embolo headed the ball down.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
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Images from 2004 show the sisters hiding their low ponytails under buttoned jackets and fur collars; the tops of their heads teased.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Service dogs that bark excessively must be taken out of the facility.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
14 June 2026
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In a nearly 10-minute long video, Pratt repeated social media posts that dogs on Skid Row are used to test drugs, are bred for drug money and are left in poor conditions by their unhoused owners, among other concerns about overcrowded, dirty shelters across the city.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Noun
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That paperwork also doesn’t include any diversified index funds or similar investments that are less likely to present conflicts of interest.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
-
SpaceX exposure in other portfolios While SpaceX will be fast-tracked into some indexes that are popular choices in retirement accounts, there are also other methods for getting access in standard brokerage accounts.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Verb
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They are loaded with student debt and feel the hot breath of artificial Intelligence breathing down their necks, even as high mortgage rates taunt their dreams of home ownership.—
Louise Schiavone,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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The woman alleged that Jackson repeatedly refused to delete the video and then taunted her with it.—
Gary Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The pair also urged the clinic to disclose any discrepancies in parentage.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
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A smoke advisory was issued for a broad swath of East Los Angeles, with members of the public urged to limit outdoor exercise and those with health issues to remain indoors.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Terminix utilizes the advanced Sentricon baiting system alongside traditional liquid barriers to destroy subterranean colonies entirely.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
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Spurs center Victor Wembanyama baited Towns and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson into fouls.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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