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
Matt Slater, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
And now, the law allowing needle exchanges is set to expire.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 13 Feb. 2026
Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Thanks to him and his colleagues Lucas Atia and Janet Teng, there’s a much faster, simpler treatment without an IV bag and an hour of getting needled, and a far more accessible treatment for people for whom simply getting to the hospital might be a major hassle or even an impossibility.
—New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
But, be honest, who doesn’t enjoy a bit of needle with their granite?
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
And now, the law allowing needle exchanges is set to expire.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
After not tweeting for over two years, Dokoupil returned to Twitter to needle the Guardian’s media reporter and push back against criticism of the show’s new framing from commentators like Larry Sabato and Atlantic writer Tom Nichols.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Thanks to him and his colleagues Lucas Atia and Janet Teng, there’s a much faster, simpler treatment without an IV bag and an hour of getting needled, and a far more accessible treatment for people for whom simply getting to the hospital might be a major hassle or even an impossibility.
—New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
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Indiana's syringe exchange law survives the House, but with several conditions.—
Joe Mutascio,
IndyStar,
19 Feb. 2026
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Greene also recalled one incident where a syringe was placed in her mailbox with a death threat.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That was the third-highest mark in Major League Baseball, trailing only the Yankees and the Dodgers, and every indicator suggests that number will go up on the 2025 books.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Shortness of breath is another important indicator.—
Jennifer Shanker,
Flow Space,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There’s Manny, Zitzs and EZ, who has a way with the girls; Izzy, an abused boy who hides his family’s secrets, and Gloria, as good at sports as the boys and so fierce nobody teases her little sister about her stutter.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
15 Feb. 2026
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Humphrey's work consists of reviewing thousands of messages and tags, seeking permission from original video creators and balancing humor with teasing.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Tigers, for now, seem to have tamed the road blues that dogged them previously against Ole Miss, LSU and Alabama.—
Ally Schniepp,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
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Since then, Cornyn’s TV blitz has defined Paxton as a diminished candidate dogged by ethics questions, a move that has tightened the contest in pre-primary polls.—
Joseph Morton,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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All major indexes ended the week in the red.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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As for the Dow, the blue-chip index traded in the 900s when Silverblatt began his career, and crossed 50,000 points one week after his retirement.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But really this is just a game, a chance to taunt an opponent before his real plan kicks into gear.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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Tensions between Black and White high school students escalate after nooses were hung from a tree to taunt Black students.—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
IndyStar,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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During Moore’s arrest, another officer baited him into making an incriminating statement, Judge Patton found at the preliminary hearing.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
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The replies are mostly AI bots, or rage-baiting stan accounts.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Sierra Avalanche Center reports high avalanche risk through at least this morning, urging people to avoid travel in or below avalanche terrain.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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The Pima County sheriff took the unusual step of publicly clearing the family as suspects, urging the public to show compassion toward the victims.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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