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
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2025
From the Frame x Ritz Paris collaboration, to Sienna Miller’s most recent campaign, the brand continues to move the needle with high-profile partnerships and eye-catching editorials focused around their easy-to-wear, gets-better-with-time quality denim silhouettes.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 30 May 2025
Joe Kozlowski, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Did Rick have the story wrong this whole time?
LAURIE LETS LOOSE | After learning that Jaclyn slept with Valentin behind her back (and lied about it), Laurie is still fuming as the three ladies head to dinner, guzzling rosé and needling Jaclyn with passive-aggressive digs.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
The Padres threaded the needle between letting the game come to them and taking it to their opponent in yesterday’s seventh inning.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2025
From the Frame x Ritz Paris collaboration, to Sienna Miller’s most recent campaign, the brand continues to move the needle with high-profile partnerships and eye-catching editorials focused around their easy-to-wear, gets-better-with-time quality denim silhouettes.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 30 May 2025
Verb
While the night kicked off with Clay Matthews needling the Chicago Bears, the Windy City club still got their man.
—Joe Kozlowski, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Did Rick have the story wrong this whole time?
LAURIE LETS LOOSE | After learning that Jaclyn slept with Valentin behind her back (and lied about it), Laurie is still fuming as the three ladies head to dinner, guzzling rosé and needling Jaclyn with passive-aggressive digs.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
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Always use the dosing device, such as the cup, syringe, or spoon with measurements provided with the medication.—
T'Keyah Bazin,
Verywell Health,
30 May 2025
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The city also has programs to pass out clean needles, with a syringe access program operating seven days a week.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The protests are a flashpoint for Americans' views on Trump's immigration policy, and the poll is one of several indicators about how Americans are viewing the demonstrations.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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Use ethical and operational key performance indicators (KPIs)—like model drift, reliability and engagement—to keep systems aligned with evolving business goals.—
Amir Banifatemi,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Verb
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For example, in an exclusive with Vanity Fair, Chu teases two brand new songs written by original Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz that will be featured in the film.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
4 June 2025
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Richard first teased their move to his wife’s native Spain in an April 2024 interview with Vanity Fair Spain, despite having lived in the United States since they got married in 2018.—
Natalia Senanayake,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
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The same complaints about Tom Thibodeau have dogged Malone.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
6 June 2025
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His elder brother, New York Mayor William O'Dwyer, was dogged by unproven allegations of gangland ties.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
28 May 2025
Noun
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If Iran retaliates and tensions escalate further, the index could experience additional selling pressure as investors remain risk-averse.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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In stock markets abroad, indexes slumped across Europe and Asia.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Verb
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After taking care of business on the scoreboard, Matthew Tkachuk took care of business with Aho, taunting and pushing and trying to fight him in a manner Aho didn’t want and his Carolina teammates didn’t rush.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
25 May 2025
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This isn’t just about the flashbacks to Reggie Miller taunting Spike Lee or those great battles from roughly three decades ago.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Noun
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On Friday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released the latest Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index—a key inflation gauge watched closely by the Federal Reserve.—
,
CNBC,
4 June 2025
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The Dollar The strength of the dollar is partly a gauge of how much faith people in other countries have in the United States.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Verb
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That makes baiting them difficult, especially because their colonies – typically fairly small and flat – are hard to spot.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
9 June 2025
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Sending in the National Guard was an obvious military flex, designed to to bait Angelenos while perhaps distracting Americans from Trump’s far greater troubles.—
Mary McNamara,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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