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
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Layering on interest rates at 6% or slightly lower does not move the needle for most first-time home buyers.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
But there are other factors that needled their way into the evolutionary development of dormancy characteristics.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
Some experimental designs include tiny mechanical systems that deploy microscopic needles.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Layering on interest rates at 6% or slightly lower does not move the needle for most first-time home buyers.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
Jake needles Harry about the past 50 years, but Harry can only offer scraps of history.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
But there are other factors that needled their way into the evolutionary development of dormancy characteristics.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
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The Senate, with a 38-10 vote, agreed to changes made in the House that include several new restrictions on the state's six syringe exchange programs, which are designed to prevent diseases that would otherwise spread through injection drug use.—
Hayleigh Colombo,
IndyStar,
26 Feb. 2026
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In this line of work, training and experience matter and bad outcomes are more likely when someone with less skill is holding the syringe or laser.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In this framing, neural entropy is not a direct measure of consciousness itself but a measurable indicator of its causal influence.—
Conor Feehly,
Big Think,
10 Mar. 2026
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It's being watched by politicians across the state and around the nation as an early indicator of where the Republican Party and its voters stand right now.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This extension is a credit to Davis, who teased with talent during his first three seasons before becoming a consistent force in 2025.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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The footage teases high-octane action, sharp dialogue, and moments designed to ignite audience reactions.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yet an Associated Press analysis finds that schools beyond the Ivy League are far more likely to benefit from the Pentagon aid, including big online universities and some for-profit colleges that have been dogged by fraud accusations.—
Collin Binkley,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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But his tenure has been dogged by controversy.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Even with all the recent swings in the market, the S&P 500 index that sits at the heart of many 401(k) accounts is still within 3% of its record set in January.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
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Market indices plunged on Monday.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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To really pick at this raw nerve, Menzies returns to narrate these passages from Frank’s book and taunt Jamie’s subconscious.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
7 Mar. 2026
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But the grand finale reveals that the real killers used AI deepfakes to taunt Sidney while killing off her daughter’s friends.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Advertisement Morrell isn’t the only one to notice the bait-and-switch gag.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
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Dollander gave big league hitters too much credit last season, trying to bait hitters with errant pitches.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The intuitive Moon squares Saturn, pitting your 3rd House of Distractions against your 6th House of Pragmatism, urging specific words, meticulous timing, and sensible boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
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Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Denmark's energy minister urged citizens of the Scandinavian country to cut back on energy use and ditch cars as the price of oil continues to skyrocket amid the Middle East conflict.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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