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
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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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of needles
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 20 Jan. 2026
Using ultra-fine glass needles, the researchers injected tiny droplets of a commercial photoresist, known as IP-S, into HeLa cells, a common human cell line.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
The idea of tracking blood sugar without needles has challenged health tech for years.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Pills can entice new patients who were potentially deterred by needles, or those who did not see losing weight as a high enough priority to get a weekly shot.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2026
Spread an organic mulch such as pine needles or bark chips around the base of the tree, 2 to 3 inches deep, leaving 4 to 6 inches of space or greater between the mulch and the tree trunk.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2026
For evergreen shrubs, which keep their leaves or needles in winter, wait until spring to prune.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
Fallen evergreen needles can be gathered and transformed into fragrant sachets that freshen up drawers, closets, or linen cabinets.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Jan. 2026
Drug addicts with needles frequently openly camp in front of the hospital, and in early December a security guard suffered serious injuries in a stabbing on the BMC campus.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
Noun
With its silvery-blue needles, the blue spruce is not only an elegant addition to many yards but also is capable of withstanding adverse conditions, including cold weather.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 20 Jan. 2026
Using ultra-fine glass needles, the researchers injected tiny droplets of a commercial photoresist, known as IP-S, into HeLa cells, a common human cell line.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
The idea of tracking blood sugar without needles has challenged health tech for years.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Pills can entice new patients who were potentially deterred by needles, or those who did not see losing weight as a high enough priority to get a weekly shot.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2026
Spread an organic mulch such as pine needles or bark chips around the base of the tree, 2 to 3 inches deep, leaving 4 to 6 inches of space or greater between the mulch and the tree trunk.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2026
For evergreen shrubs, which keep their leaves or needles in winter, wait until spring to prune.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
Fallen evergreen needles can be gathered and transformed into fragrant sachets that freshen up drawers, closets, or linen cabinets.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Jan. 2026
Drug addicts with needles frequently openly camp in front of the hospital, and in early December a security guard suffered serious injuries in a stabbing on the BMC campus.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Jake needles Harry about the past 50 years, but Harry can only offer scraps of history.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needles
Noun
-
One of the clearest indicators of this shift is the recent uptick in hedge fund launches.—
Carrie McCabe,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Momentum indicators in both the RSI and MACD flashed buy signals and are not in overbought territory.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
My family always teases me about it.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Now, the doctor is back for the sophomore season after a brief stint in rehab, and Ball, 36, teases that viewers will see a new side of him.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Her first concern, Bloor said, was getting the family dogs out of the room before anything escalated.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
18 Jan. 2026
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Therapy dogs with the nonprofit also help children learn to read and assist in clinical therapy settings.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Chip stocks led the market higher on Thursday, with the major indexes finishing in the green.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
15 Jan. 2026
-
However, indexes are just snapshots of what a hypothetical household endures.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The two come face-to-face at the end of the episode, during which Callahan taunts Kyle over his wife's murder.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Dec. 2025
-
Instead, Pennywise taunts Ingrid before showing her the deadlights and leaving her (mostly) catatonic.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Ross, who was one of several federal agents involved in the arrest, initially drew his service weapon, but holstered the gun after Muñoz-Guatemala stopped his car and raised his hands, according to the affidavit.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
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The deadly shooting of a 37-year-old woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in a residential neighborhood in south Minneapolis has brought back painful memories of another high-profile incident in which a civilian died at the hands of a law enforcement officer.—
Jonah Kaplan,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Setting traps and baits eradicates or, at least, discourages these pests from tunneling through your garden and nibbling roots to damage perennials and shrubs.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
15 Jan. 2026
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This Christmas, Nelson’s surprising and fresh remake baits controversy in a couple new ways.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Davis, as housewife Thelma Dickinson, rides off into the sunset (and off a cliff) and shares a kiss with Sarandon's Louise in a legendary cinematic shot.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
-
After the holidays are over, visitors are treated to shorter lines at the best Universal Orlando rides as well as bargains since ticket prices tend to surge during the busy season.—
Bailey Bennett,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Needles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needles. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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