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

Biting and stinging arthropods, such as wasps, mosquitos and spiders, account for five states.

— Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
That move came just as the clock was running out Friday on stopgap levies the president imposed after a stinging defeat for other tariffs at the Supreme Court.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 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

One of the most iconic fall looks is a pair of tall boots with a knit sock poking over the top.

— Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
Even Watford’s mascot got involved, standing behind one of the goalposts ahead of the game and poking its head out with a binocular gesture.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of poking

Adjective

Ohtani is expected to return from his nagging biceps and knee injuries by year’s end.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Baker-Mazara, who dealt with nagging injuries all season that held him out of practice, spent the remainder of the game in a folding chair on the baseline, away from the rest of the team.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of nagging

Verb

The shrapnel tore through the metal surrounding the engine, shattering the window at row 11, leaving a dent in the plane near row 8 and puncturing the body below the wing, as well as gouging and denting the tail, the NTSB said.

— Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
According to the company website, the glove is designed to disrupt sensory nerves without puncturing or burning the skin.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 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

Within the womenswear collection, an exploration of the natural world through the lens of bird-watching invites the viewer into an organic and rather iridescent plumage world — a curiosity that has been itching at the designers for some time.

— Michael Anthony Hall, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Just under two years later, the first Cybercabs are starting to hit the streets in Austin, Texas — and Tesla is just itching to sell you one.

— Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 10 Sep. 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 28 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of pricking

adjective

verb

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