as in to pierce
to cause or experience an unpleasant feeling that is like the feeling of having many small, sharp points against your skin
The burrs were prickling my arm. The wool sweater prickled my skin.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of prickle
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2025
Discomfort, such as a prickling sensation, at the site of the bite is also possible.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Felicia Campbell, AZCentral.com, 8 July 2025
Pain might flicker, flash, prickle, drill, lancinate, pinch, cramp, tug, scald, sear, or itch.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prickle
Verb
Bellows from the galleries roll across the fairways and right up the necks of the competitors, prickling their hairs.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2025
Discomfort, such as a prickling sensation, at the site of the bite is also possible.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
Everything from IPAs to sours made with local ingredients like prickle pear.
—Felicia Campbell, AZCentral.com, 8 July 2025
Pain might flicker, flash, prickle, drill, lancinate, pinch, cramp, tug, scald, sear, or itch.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prickle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickle
Verb
-
From another ward not too far away, the piercing screams of a patient are audible.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The dress was a reference to Thierry Mugler’s bold and iconic spring couture 1998 runway show, in which Erica Vanbriel modeled the original nipple piercing dress.—
Alexandra Hildreth,
Vogue,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This spike, a bit higher than Swanson expected, is the result of a global surplus fading and import levels returning to normal.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Illinois led the nation in number of tornadoes in both 2023 and 2025 – a huge spike over our long-term average.—
David Yeomans,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Jacksonville incident poked at the tension.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The Stars pulled even when Nils Lundkvist poked a rebound past Hellebuyck on a shot from Duchene with five minutes left in the second period.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones couldn’t escape Jon Hamm’s barbs Thursday night at the NFL Honors ceremony.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Metal barbs from the device lodge in the skin and deliver high-voltage electrical current, causing intense pain and temporary loss of muscle control.—
Michele Heisler,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
One pocket of tech that has faced a lot of pressure have been software firms, with the shares of companies like SAP, Salesforce, and ServiceNow all stung the last six months, as Reuters reports, because of rising fears that AI could disrupt their business models.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The ending of this game stung for the Sabres.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The sheets felt slightly softer after washing and drying them, and there were no snags, tears, loose threads, or color fading.—
Brandi Fuller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Long delayed by weather, the flight had overcome two last-minute snags caused by seemingly minor computer and weather problems.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-fi black comedy tickles the audience to wonder if Emma Stone’s pharmaceutical CEO could really be an alien.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The rooms Wrought-iron beds, tiled floors, cut-work curtains that tickle shutters in the breeze.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There was never any real NHTSA recall, Ford sent a sticker to vehicle owners at the time to remind them to use the parking brake.—
John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs And Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Participants start at Epilogue Books to get a Galentine's event sticker, wear the sticker at participating restaurants for special discounts, visit local shops for Galentine's promotions and to be entered in downtown-wide giveaway drawings (more than $300 in gift cards).—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickle. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
