needle 1 of 2

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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2
as in indicator
an arrow-shaped piece on a dial or scale for registering information simply by reading the compass needle you should be able to figure out in which direction we're heading

Synonyms & Similar Words

needle

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of needle
Noun
This clean, woody scent captures the essence of pine needles, sap, holly, cedar wood, and frosted balsam. Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025 Boston Public Health Commissioner Bisola Ojikutu said last month that the city hands out more than 80,000 needles per month to drug users, as part of its harm reduction approach. Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Ukrainian leader also wore more formal attire, something that did not go unnoticed by pro-Trump reporter Brian Glenn, who in February needled Zelensky for his lack of a suit. Brett Samuels, The Hill, 18 Aug. 2025 Trump at one point needled Zelenskyy over Ukraine delaying elections. Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
  • One of them manages to stick a syringe full of tranquilizers in her thigh.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Unfortunately, in the process, he's stabbed by the syringe Mehta intended for Lo and dies.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • One of the best indicators of when to stop mowing is soil temperature.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Cardo has also placed a helmet health indicator that monitors shell integrity and notifies you when the helmet may no longer be fit to be worn.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Other locations previously teased by Netflix include Little Garden, Whiskey Peak, Reverse Mountain, and Loguetown.
    Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The New Jersey native also teased some new music on the way after some prying from Hudson.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The period was marked by the dramatic fall from grace of his younger brother, then-Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who admitted to smoking crack cocaine and then was dogged by evidence of a string of other abusive behavior.
    NPR, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Akey, dogged all night by Legend’s pass rushers, used her pure speed to score the game’s first touchdown, sprinting into the end zone from 7 yards out.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Yesterday was the 96th anniversary of Black Monday, the day in 1929 when the Dow Jones index fell 13%.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025
  • As of this month, the Magnificent Seven, the largest companies in the S&P 500, make up 34% of the index’s total value.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Kansas City took just one penalty — taunting, on Rashee Rice — but even that drive ended in a Rice touchdown.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Gilligan wants to see people from across the partisan spectrum interact face to face, instead of taunting each other online.
    Judy Berman, Time, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In September, the decline in China’s factory-gate prices, a gauge of deflation, extended into the 36th straight month, though the drop has narrowed following Beijing’s attempt in recent months to rein in price competition in certain sectors.
    Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
  • However, using the same measurement gauge, electricity prices went up.
    Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Matty also accepts an apology from Olympia, who feels bad about baiting her (and then recording her).
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
  • LaFreniere digs a hole to hold a pipe, places bait at the bottom, and positions the pipe near a mature tree to anchor the cable.
    Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.

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