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
Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
Zone 1 — which extends 30 feet from a building — requires property owners to do things such as clear dead plants, grass as well as leaves and pine needles from yards, roofs and gutters; trim overhanging branches; and keep a 10-foot gap between trees.
—Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The latest probes expand the list of items that could be exposed to higher tariffs to include personal protective equipment such as surgical masks, N95 respirators, gloves and other medical consumables, including syringes, needles and prescription drugs.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
There weren’t any needles, pokes, or prods involved, just a simple applicator patch that stuck to the side of my stomach to help the machine navigate where to output the energy.
—Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
Startups are building concepts that try to thread these needles.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
Tension boiled over when Boston Public Health Commissioner Bisola Ojikutu, a top Wu administration official, said the city hands out more than 80,000 needles per month to drug users.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
These limits vary by forest, like Coronado, which sets daily and annual limits for items such as berries, mushrooms, mesquite pods, and pine needles, but prohibits harvesting saguaro skeletons.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique during which a practitioner inserts fine needles into a patient’s skin.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
Some sites include piles of needles and other hazardous material.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
Zone 1 — which extends 30 feet from a building — requires property owners to do things such as clear dead plants, grass as well as leaves and pine needles from yards, roofs and gutters; trim overhanging branches; and keep a 10-foot gap between trees.
—Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The latest probes expand the list of items that could be exposed to higher tariffs to include personal protective equipment such as surgical masks, N95 respirators, gloves and other medical consumables, including syringes, needles and prescription drugs.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
There weren’t any needles, pokes, or prods involved, just a simple applicator patch that stuck to the side of my stomach to help the machine navigate where to output the energy.
—Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
Startups are building concepts that try to thread these needles.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
Tension boiled over when Boston Public Health Commissioner Bisola Ojikutu, a top Wu administration official, said the city hands out more than 80,000 needles per month to drug users.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
These limits vary by forest, like Coronado, which sets daily and annual limits for items such as berries, mushrooms, mesquite pods, and pine needles, but prohibits harvesting saguaro skeletons.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique during which a practitioner inserts fine needles into a patient’s skin.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needles
Noun
-
While the Dow is looking past concerns, Wall Street is also dealing with a government data blackout that has left investors without the usual gold-standard indicators of the health of the economy.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
-
That’s the conclusion of a survey by WalletHub, a personal finance website and app, which analyzed more than 180 cities around the United States using 28 indicators of appeal, including the cost of groceries, affordability and accessibility of high-quality restaurants and food festivals per capita.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Still, Jung teases the possibility that San-ho could live to protect Mun-ju again.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Phil initially teases Peter for being weak and effeminate.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Holtz and other South Florida hospitals have long used therapy dogs to provide patients with emotional support, either by hiring handlers to bring in the furry companions or by having their own in-house therapy dogs to make more frequent rounds.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
-
According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, dogs that suddenly bolt are often acting on instinct rather than misbehaving.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Garraty is forced to slap himself across the face to stay awake as Barkovitch taunts him.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
-
In the present day, Ellen watches as MacKinny taunts Colum in front of a crowd of onlookers and rushes to stand by his side.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The logo, hands, indexes, and rotor are trimmed in British racing green—the color of the legendary car brand.—
Carol Besler,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In fact, the three leading United States stock indices — the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq — closed at record highs on Thursday.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Trolling crank baits along points and flats 15 feet deep over deeper water should still work.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Sep. 2025
-
There are also several moments in which the self-reflexiveness of Clooney’s casting effectively baits us into believing that the Cary Grant of his day is baring his soul for our edification.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Full Moon in Aries will highlight home and family dynamics, and urges you to release outdated patterns of control or resentment that might be keeping you from feeling fully happy.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
-
His insubordination is so appalling that Stella urges Pascal to remove him from Firehouse 51.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The land changed hands as developers pitched grand ideas to no avail.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Switzerland, like Germany, built its 20th-century industrial economy on training and valuing all types of workers—those that work with their hands and those that work at a desk.—
Peter Vanham,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needles. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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