PRICKING Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

pricking 1 of 2

adjective

as in stinging

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pricking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prick

as in prickling

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pricking

Adjective

Mungiu craftily plants the seed of this crisis in his opening shot, set in the aftermath of a stinging act of parental discipline.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
At an early New York screening, Douglas recalls Wall Street traders being stunned by the film’s stinging accuracy.

— Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of stinging

Verb

Initial symptoms of rabies include flu-like illness including weakness or discomfort, fever, or headache, and discomfort, prickling, or an itching sensation at the site of the bite.

— Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
As Luke walks off, his shirt undone and his furry belly prickling in the desert cold, Danny turns and stares out into the backyard.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026

Definition of prickling

Adjective

Dickerson was the first physician to treat Mike Studeny, who was diagnosed with a non-bleeding stroke.

— Christa Swanson, CBS News, 9 May 2026
In tests using mice, after surgical damage to the liver, AGCL was able to perform significantly better than other current anti-bleeding agents, with normal liver function returning just two weeks after its application.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Jan. 2026

Definition of bleeding

Verb

But with just a step to her other side or a shake of her head on stage, the near-auburn shade moves to the forefront, with dimensional pieces of golden blonde poking through.

— Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2026
The smallest of the dogs, a fluffy little white-and-gray thing, is poking out of a red box on the dog keeper’s lap.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of poking

Adjective

Largely because of that, and because Young’s mobility is obviously limited because of his nagging knee injury, Carolina is having trouble scoring points again.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2026
In addition, there’s a nagging narrative tidiness to Lucy’s and Elsa’s stories so conveniently echoing each other.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of nagging

Verb

In fact, Fielder says, Blaine was literally stabbing his hand, puncturing his own flesh to create the illusion of an illusion.

— Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
Executioners spent more than two hours trying to find a vein, possibly puncturing his bladder before giving up.

— Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of puncturing

Adjective

Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026

Definition of burning

Verb

Amazon has a ton of chic, fall-ready sneakers my mom (and I) have been itching to add to our carts—head to the site to check out its full selection.

— Annie Blackman, InStyle, 24 Oct. 2026
Clever and ambitious, Debicki’s snob is itching for an excuse to leave this hamlet for the city.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of itching

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Pricking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pricking. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of pricking

adjective

verb

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