Synonyms of needles

needles 1 of 2

noun

plural of needle

1

as in syringes

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

• syringes
• hypodermics
• hypodermic needles
• hypes
• hypodermic syringes

2

as in indicators

an arrow-shaped piece on a dial or scale for registering information

simply by reading the compass needle you should be able to figure out in which direction we're heading

Synonyms & Similar Words

• indicators
• indexes
• hands
• gauges
• pointers
• dials
• faces

needles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of needle

1

as in teases

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

• teases
• taunts
• baits
• mocks
• rides
• bothers
• hazes
• tortures
• hassles
• picks on
• annoys
• nettles
• plagues
• heckles
• ruffles
• troubles
• ridicules
• irritates
• tests
• makes game of
• itches
• gibes
• grates
• galls
• spites
• frets
• rasps
• gripes
• bullies
• bugs
• goads
• frosts
• dogs
• tries
• badgers
• burns (up)
• narks
• peeves
• jeers
• riles
• beleaguers
• chafes
• vexes
• pesters
• aggravates
• torments
• discomforts
• gnaws (at)
• nags
• derides
• disturbs
• aggrieves
• exasperates
• piques
• irks
• hacks (off)
• gets
• puts out
• hounds
• hagrides
• agitates
• bedevils
• persecutes
• hectors
• perturbs
• harries
• harasses
• browbeats
• terrorizes

2

as in dogs

to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders

quit needling me! I'll take out the trash in a minute!

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dogs
• pecks (at)
• picks at
• urges
• henpecks
• hounds
• begs
• nags
• bothers
• eggs
• badgers
• spurs
• baits
• pressures
• prods
• pushes
• annoys
• plagues
• bugs
• goads
• rides
• prompts
• carps (at)
• harries
• fusses (about or over)
• pesters
• vexes
• harasses
• hassles
• insists
• chivies
• wheedles
• irks
• presses
• coaxes
• incites
• cajoles
• yaps (at)
• nitpicks
• importunes
• pleads
• exhorts
• blandishes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• compliments
• recommends
• praises
• commends
• builds up
• lauds
• applauds
• extols
• touts
• acclaims
• eulogizes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of needles

Noun

She was diagnosed with the hepatitis C virus after sharing tattoo needles with ex-husband Tommy Lee in 2002. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026

Drugs ravaged the streets, leaving needles and even more emptiness in their wake. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Too Much Vitamin B6 and Nerve Damage Taking high doses of B6 may cause numbness, a pins-and-needles sensation, or pain in your legs, impairing your ability to walk. — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 4 Sep. 2026

The days of An Inconvenient Truth and Fahrenheit 9/11, in which a documentary becomes an event that moves both box office needles and public sentiment, are well behind us. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Some of those needles may include incredibly dim free-floating objects such as rogue planets or even small, wandering black holes, Benford said. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Other signs that the tree itself is struggling include wilting or yellowing leaves, fading needles on evergreens, smaller leaves, early leaf drop, dead branches, and an increasingly open canopy. — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026

Thus, a product that may replicate the results of injectable dermal filler without needles or a high price tag sounds pretty darn good. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026

So, Demorest told one of her knitting friends, who got to work with her needles. — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Verb

McDaniel needles the other side of the ball too, James said, warning defenders to be ready for a deep pass before hitting them with a quick out. — Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

The Velvet Gang needles the outraged Christie ever so. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 May 2026

As Thea’s former suitor, Tesman struggles to call her by her married name, a slip of the tongue that Hedda constantly needles him about. — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026

Jake needles Harry about the past 50 years, but Harry can only offer scraps of history. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026

Phrases Containing needles

• on pins and needles