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
Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
The recently unearthed woman’s grave goods included an Amazonian snail shell, a fishing net, a wool textile, about 30 sweet potatoes, weaving tools and a needle, four reed baskets and a toucan’s beak adorned with green and brown beads.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025
The interaction between Briony and Jamie starts off amiably, with Jamie needling Briony for her posh affectations.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
But none of that moved the needle enough for LIV players to qualify for majors.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
The recently unearthed woman’s grave goods included an Amazonian snail shell, a fishing net, a wool textile, about 30 sweet potatoes, weaving tools and a needle, four reed baskets and a toucan’s beak adorned with green and brown beads.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
The Defender’s large footprint is justified by its considerable luggage capacity, but at the end of the day, the challenges of needling the 110 through narrow roadways and squeezing it into tight parking spots can become a chore.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025
The interaction between Briony and Jamie starts off amiably, with Jamie needling Briony for her posh affectations.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
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When Fisk later has Con Ed pull the plug on the whole damn city, in the first moments of mayhem Buck slips into Matt’s hospital room with a syringe, only to find the bed empty.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
15 Apr. 2025
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Water is injected with a syringe one droplet at a time, ensuring that every millimeter is accounted for.—
Uma Raja,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As a true indicator of simpler times, an organizer would join forces with an injector to offer neurotoxin aesthetic treatments on a budget for a wide group of attendees.—
Dahvi Shira,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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Trump's approval rating is a key indicator of changing public opinion.—
Mark Weinstein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Apple has teased generative AI features coming in iOS 18, and investors will be listening closely for hints from CEO Tim Cook ahead of June’s WWDC.—
Catherine Baab,
Quartz,
29 Apr. 2025
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In the trailer for Buzz, which Deadline can exclusively share, Lithgow teases what listeners can expect.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Law exudes dogged intensity and Nicholas Hoult is superb as the charismatic white supremacist leader in a gripping action drama.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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Still, the Trump administration’s claims of campus antisemitism continue to dog Harvard, with the White House this month making sweeping new policy demands of its leaders while threatening billions of dollars in federal funding.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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So, the stakes have risen along with the index’s run from the low.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
26 Apr. 2025
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Through Thursday, the S&P 500 was up nearly 4 percent on the week, although the index remains sharply lower since Mr. Trump took office.—
Kevin Granville,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Trump has a long history of taunting Swift, who used her platform to endorse Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024 after expressing regret about not endorsing a candidate in the 2016 presidential election.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2025
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That quickly led Poilievre to X, to warn Trump against taunting Canada.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The reading of sour consumer sentiment marked the fifth consecutive month of decline, leaving the Conference Board gauge at its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
29 Apr. 2025
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The digital gauge cluster is standard on all but the base SR5 model, which features a 7.0-inch display.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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His first assist for Arsenal was for Gabriel Martinelli away to Leicester City in February 2023 after baiting Harry Souttar with a stepover and nutmeg.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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The most effective throw the CU offense had going was to loft 50-50 balls up into the air and try and bait the other team into a pass-interference call.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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