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
Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 28 June 2025
Rust said the average BNPL loan is for $135, and that repaying such small loans, even consistently, might not result in changes to a credit score that would significantly move the needle.
—Cora Lewis, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Michelle Lee, People.com, 6 June 2025
Portnoy needled the Fever’s response to the WNBA’s conclusion.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
Super is now tasked with finding ways to thread the needle between Victoria’s Secret’s past and future.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 28 June 2025
Rust said the average BNPL loan is for $135, and that repaying such small loans, even consistently, might not result in changes to a credit score that would significantly move the needle.
—Cora Lewis, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Verb
Not all of her tips and tricks to staying fabulous involve undergoing a knife or needle though.
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 6 June 2025
Portnoy needled the Fever’s response to the WNBA’s conclusion.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
-
Photos show the tiny kitten drinking milk from a syringe and resting on plush blankets.—
Brooke Baitinger,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2025
-
Two were arrested in Metz when one was caught with a syringe and a woman who reported being stabbed recognized the second man.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
24 June 2025
Noun
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But Burke, with the mining association, pointed to two recent positive indicators for the industry: more U.S. coal getting exported overseas and a surge in the amount of electricity generated by burning coal during the first four months of 2025 compared with the same period last year.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
8 July 2025
-
Mellinger now worries the department will not be able to meet its five-year goals for key performance indicators, which measure progress on the county’s biggest public health challenges.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Affectionately, the 35-year-old pop star is not known for setting or chasing trends, instead using fashion to tease new musical eras or evoke a sense of girl-next-door relatability.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
29 June 2025
-
The historic broadcast network began teasing the multiple Emmy winner’s birthday as early as June 13.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
But the question of the Tour dogged his entire career.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
-
Netanyahu's outwardly triumphant visit to the White House, his third this year, is dogged by Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza and questions over how hard Trump will push for an end to the conflict.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Stock indexes in Europe ended mostly higher on Monday, while Asian markets closed mostly lower.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
7 July 2025
-
The Hang Seng Tech index was last seen 1.29% higher as of 12.21 p.m. local time.—
Amala Balakrishner,
CNBC,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Rakeem Nunez-Roches taunted Hudson from the defensive sideline, and Hudson made the yapping sign with his hand back at him.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2025
-
The worse-than-blue has been hanging around for weeks, taunting me because tomorrow is my birthday.—
Susan Choi,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Both benchmark gauges advanced around 4% from last Friday's close.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
27 June 2025
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To give a gauge on the price range, a graphic Rabanne t-shirt is $490.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Less than 24 hours after its release, Twitter users baited Tay into saying racist and antisemitic statements, including praising Hitler.—
Lisa Hagen,
NPR,
9 July 2025
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The messages were nothing out of the ordinary in this case, a simple tax refund scam baiting the reader to click on a link.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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