1
as in taunted
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
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2
as in urged
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 needled
Johnson could have needled Woods about their windy Sunday stroll at Augusta in ’07, when Johnson trailed Stuart Appleby by two strokes, and Woods by one, heading into the last round in which Johnson’s 69 produced another slice of history.
—
Jay Paris, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
American Olympian Lindsey Vonn fired back at critics who needled her for taking a spot on Team USA despite having a ruptured ACL and later breaking her leg.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 Feb. 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
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
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
One ayatollah in particular, Ruhollah Khomeini, needled the Shah incessantly.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Jay Paris, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
American Olympian Lindsey Vonn fired back at critics who needled her for taking a spot on Team USA despite having a ruptured ACL and later breaking her leg.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 Feb. 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
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
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
One ayatollah in particular, Ruhollah Khomeini, needled the Shah incessantly.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needled
Verb
-
Iza later taunted the victim by sending him a photograph of the arrest and booking photo.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
And they were taunted by the protesters, getting abused for no reason.—
Emma Rosenblum,
Curbed,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While the project is delayed, some CRTPO members urged NCDOT to continue listening to residents and rebuild trust.—
Desiree Mathurin
March 27,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The union previously urged the department to do more to separate violent prisoners, alleging the state has too often held dangerous inmates in lower-security settings not designed to house them.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dion teased her comeback with posters spotted throughout Paris on Monday and a few pictures of herself in the City of Love on Instagram.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The trend was kicked off — perhaps unknowingly — by McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski, whose lackluster nibble of the new Big Arch burger was widely teased by the internet last month.—
Seattle Times,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
One notable voice on the topic is Chappell Roan who has openly discussed the feeling of being hounded by the press.—
Fleurine Tideman,
Glamour,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The parallels between Carolyn’s experiences of being relentlessly hounded by paparazzi and how Princess Diana died are all too clear.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
No artist ever mocked the insanity of the Hollywood cartoon stystem with such devastating incisiveness, and yet loved its creative output so much.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In a lengthy Instagram post on Friday (March 27), White mocked the announcement.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Cherono nagged the Marathon Chase and a $10,000 bonus.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Those kids went home and nagged their parents.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Obama stuck with health reform when most of his advisors—and, six months into the battle, most of his party—begged him to fold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Palmetto’s coach at the time, Matt Dixon, seeing the untapped potential, begged and begged, but Uche’s father wouldn’t budge.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Bruins will also have decisions to make on BC seniors and Boston draft picks Gasseau and Oskar Jellvik, who has been dogged with injuries in his career at BC.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
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Survivor brought back a record 24 returnees for season 50, and has dogged a bunch with no screentime.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needled. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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