as in pokes
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.
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Recent Examples of prickles
Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
An awareness of absent ancestors prickles through her writing, but at the same time, her fictional worlds feel solid and present.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickles
Verb
-
Your 6th House of Health takes focus with the nurturing Moon there, though Luna also pokes expensive Jupiter in your 3rd House of Distractions.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In April, ruby-red paintbrush pokes out of the ground, and in late summer, vibrant yellow rabbitbrush flowers join the mix.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The team identified a continuous midline feature that began as a fleshy crest along the neck and trunk and transitioned over the hips into a single row of spikes running down the tail — each spike positioned over a single vertebra and fitted to each other.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Its 1959 Googie-style sign pierces the sky, a beacon of hope for weary road-trippers cruising this achingly lonely stretch of highway.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Lower the heat to medium-high and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and a paring knife easily pierces a potato, about 15 minutes.—
C.W. Cameron,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One effect of this austerity and repression is to focus attention on Albee’s language, with its slippery banalities and barbs.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Les and Lindy can push each other's buttons and wind each other with barbs that only the closest couples have the power to sling.—
Sarah Rodman,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But a redevelopment plan for at least one of those schools, North Fork Elementary, could face some snags.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
-
On Thursday, Pages had another one of his sensational snags, taking an angle that would’ve made a defensive back proud in pursuit of Geraldo Perdomo’s fly ball to start the seventh.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The team had the best record in the major leagues as recently as June 13 of last season before collapsing and missing the postseason — a collapse that still stings for fans.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
-
And that’s the part that stings.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mirroring the 3-star wig cap structure, this wig featured three combs (left-side, right-side, nape), a drawstring, wig band insertion holes, and a 13×4 lace.—
Noel Cymone Walker,
StyleCaster,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The penetration holes indicate that the internal facility is likely bombed out, destroying anything that was inside.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prickles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickles. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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