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

From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026

Favorites like needles no more NO MORE BAGGAGE, pores no more PORE REFINER PRIMER and more are also available. — ABC News, 6 July 2026

The strips are piled high in plastic bins, sprawled over tables and fed underneath bobbing needles. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Sweetgrass baskets are sewed with Low Country sweetgrass, bulrush, pine needles, and palmetto fronds. — Jeanne Malle, Air Mail, 4 July 2026

In five years, harm-reduction organizations distributed hundreds of thousands of sterile needles and syringes to drug users across Oklahoma, potentially saving lives and significantly reducing viral infection rates. — Maya Henry, Oklahoma Watch, 30 June 2026

The collection also accepts medical sharps, including diabetic needles, blood lancets, insulin pens, epi-pens, syringes, expired over-the-counter medicines and non-narcotic prescriptions. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026

In the 1960s, the late Duke University biologist Bruce Niklas started using extremely fine glass needles to probe and manipulate chromosomes in living cells by pushing from the outside against the cell membrane. — Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026

Organic mulches, such as pine straw, shredded wood, bark, and pine needles, contribute to the overall soil health as the materials decompose. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 25 June 2026

Verb

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