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
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Recent Examples of needled
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
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
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Police say Woods taunted Stewart before pulling the trigger, but the exact motive is unknown.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
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This question has tantalized and taunted Bulls fans for years — and this trade deadline is no different.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Al Olszewski, a former state senator who is running for Zinke's seat, accused both Daines and Zinke of betraying the people of Montana and urged voters to reject their handpicked successors.—
MATTHEW BROWN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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The authors, who include veterinarians, researchers and wildlife biologists, urged physicians and other healthcare workers in the region to consider lungworm infection when patients come in with nervous system disorders.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then for the first time in a real race, rocket starts by Charles Leclerc, who went from fourth to first by Turn 1, and Lewis Hamilton from down in seventh, teased a potential fight that would disrupt the Mercedes domination narrative.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Jay Kim, executive vice president at Samsung's mobile business, teased some details about the smart glasses for the first time, on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Duff’s rise to fame coincided with the peak of early-2000s tabloid culture that hounded stars like Britney Spears.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
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Hannah recalled to Entertainment Weekly in 1993 that she was being hounded on questions about their potential wedding.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors mocked Vargas’s account of the stabbing.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
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The infielder was mocked on social media after a head-scratching baserunning blunder against his former team, the Miami Marlins, in August.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Those kids went home and nagged their parents.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, Musk launched a competitive AI firm called xAI, but his feelings over the fallout with Altman nagged at him.—
Tom Dotan,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Chan and Acosta beat Tay for more than seven minutes while Tay cried and begged for help and then forced Tay to drink rubbing alcohol and sealed his mouth with duct tape, authorities have said.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
3 Mar. 2026
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The actor, who stepped back from the limelight of late, teared up as director Michel Gondry recalled their collaboration on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and looked touched when actor Emmanuel Curtil, who is the official French voice of Carrey, begged him not to leave the profession.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His three-term tenure as the state’s top lawyer also was dogged by criminal investigations, fraud allegations, an impeachment and allegations of infidelity.—
Philip Jankowski
Austin Bureau,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Courteney Cox‘s dogged reporter/stand-in for media immorality Gale Weathers will naturally be on the scene once again, as well a host of recurring characters, fan favorites, and old faces from all six of the previous entries.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needled. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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