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
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
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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Rader — who killed at least 10 victims over the span of three decades, per The New York Times — famously taunted police with his crimes through letters to law enforcement and the media for five years from 1974 to 1979, when his communications ceased.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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Often taunted by tabloids for her unsmiling demeanor, Victoria shows off her sense of humor and gets real about some of the most difficult parts of her past, including her struggles with an eating disorder and almost losing her fashion business entirely.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Martin was urged to dye their hair darker so that Alex could be taken more seriously.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
12 Oct. 2025
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Governors like Kathy Hochul of New York and Wes Moore of Maryland stopped short of declaring emergencies but still urged vigilance.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With Version 2 set to retire, SpaceX has already teased the debut of Version 3, which is expected to carry out its first test launch later this year or early 2026.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
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Later, Disick is shown sitting across from Kourtney at the dinner table, surrounded by the adult family members who teased the two about getting married already.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The search for answers grew more desperate after Payne, wracked with grief and hounded by reporters, died by suicide near the very spot where Mary’s body had been found.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
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For a Mets team hounded by questions about clubhouse culture in the wake of a late-season collapse, Marte is an intriguing case.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Their mother began a relationship with a swaggering alcoholic, their future stepfather, who mocked Scott for being soft.—
Eren Orbey,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
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Dick Van Dyke’s cockney in Mary Poppins is still mocked, but fondly.—
Remy Blumenfeld,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Plus, if you’re constantly nagged by pesky mosquitos and other flying critters, scoop up this outdoor bug zapper to rid your space of bugs for good.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
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The Angels finally made a concession to the back trouble that has nagged Tyler Anderson all season.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In a rare appearance on C-SPAN on Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson heard from one military mom who begged him to bring the House back to session to pass a standalone bill to provide military troops pay during the government shutdown.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
9 Oct. 2025
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The Eagles attacked Skinner again, and the home crowd begged for a flag after the safety aggressively defended tight end Dallas Goedert, but no penalty was called.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But D’Angelo was also often dogged by label issues, writer’s block, and struggles with cocaine and alcohol.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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The health care debate has dogged Congress ever since the Affordable Care Act became law under then-President Barak Obama in 2010.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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