1
as in teasing
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 nagging
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 needling
Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2026
He’s repeated that sentiment in countless interviews over the years, but hearing him say it in front of his gently needling bandmates gives it a different kind of resonance.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Glaser was at her best when needling awards-show tropes.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2026
He’s repeated that sentiment in countless interviews over the years, but hearing him say it in front of his gently needling bandmates gives it a different kind of resonance.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needling
Adjective
-
To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Viewers see painful flashbacks throughout the show of classmates teasing Kelly about being overweight and daring her to drink urine.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
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On Wednesday, Duff ramped up the anticipation for her new album, teasing a new song about dive bar hookups, inconvenient roommates, and a once-red-hot romance fizzling into the tombs of relationship graveyards.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The two nagging exceptions revolve around Epstein and affordability.—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
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My father had been nagging Tarun and me to accompany him to a lesson, perhaps hoping that we might be inspired to take up an instrument, too.—
Madhuri Vijay,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Those in the away end took great delight in taunting the new man with, ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ and on more than one occasion too.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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Videos surfaced on social media showing Doncic taunting Schroder for turning down a four-year, $84 million contract with the Lakers in 2021.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Following its parent organization’s lead, the nonprofit’s San Diego chapter is urging the public to schedule donation appointments in a dozen cities across San Diego County.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
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Davis police say the investigation is ongoing and are urging anyone with information to come forward.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Reuters reported that BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who hosted the dinner of some 200 people as co-chair of the World Economic Forum, ended the dinner after the heckling incident — before dessert was served.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
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Vice President Vance appeared on FOX News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle hours after the heckling incident, telling the host about visiting with the national guardsmen and discussing recent changes to the city, while briefly mentioning the protesters.—
Jillian Frankel,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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While Edgecombe is hounding Brunson on one end, Tyrese Maxey’s got 1,200 square feet of real estate at Madison Square Garden on the other.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
4 Jan. 2026
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In a teaser for the untitled project, which dropped Sunday night, Justin and Christian solemnly watch news coverage of Combs’ criminal trial and reporters hounding their family with questions regarding accusations against their 56-year-old father.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
29 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The revelation quickly made headlines, and the social-media peanut gallery was sharply derisive.—
Emma Sandler,
Vogue,
15 Dec. 2025
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There is nothing quite like experiencing a truly terrible film with a room full of gleefully derisive bad-movie fans.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needling. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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