1
as in syringe
a slender hollow instrument by which material is put into or taken from the body through the skin
the nurse inserted the needle into his vein and collected some blood for testing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in to tease
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 to dog
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 needle
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025
The release of its big Shattered Space expansion barely moved the needle, getting it to 22,000 concurrent briefly, less than 10% of the original launch.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
Plagued by suspicious neighbors and needling strangers, tormented by memories of better times and dreams of what could have been, the Millers are getting by on the edge of a knife.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Noun
Elsewhere on the farm, Joe finds Suzanne unconscious and barely breathing with a needle dangling from her forearm.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025
The release of its big Shattered Space expansion barely moved the needle, getting it to 22,000 concurrent briefly, less than 10% of the original launch.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
The interaction between Briony and Jamie starts off amiably, with Jamie needling Briony for her posh affectations.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
Plagued by suspicious neighbors and needling strangers, tormented by memories of better times and dreams of what could have been, the Millers are getting by on the edge of a knife.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
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After creating both holes, hold the egg over a bowl, put your mouth or a bulb syringe over the hole, and blow to remove the yolk and whites.—
Kathy Barnes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2025
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This device is dwarfed by a grain of rice, and can be injected into newborn babies with congenital heart diseases for temporary or long-term use with a regular syringe.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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If the price of the first ticket sold for a Blue Origin spaceflight is any indicator, seats likely cost in the millions of dollars.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
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Plenty of reasons why Donato’s breakout offensive season, which sits at 31 goals with two games to go, is more likely a one-off than an indicator of seasons to come.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Fans of the finger food, made with a tortilla-crumb breading, can look forward to having it year-round, as Taco Bell teased plans to make nuggets part of the permanent menu by 2026.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2025
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The trailer also teases a subplot involving a pregnancy between Sue Storm and Reed Richards, possibly hinting at the birth of their son, Franklin Richards, a character with universe-altering powers in Marvel lore.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This issue continues to dog the fan community, in particular.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Snow White is looking at gross of $14 million to $15 million in its second weekend, a steep decline of 65 percent or more as the live-action update continues be dogged by poor word-of-mouth and controversial headlines over its star, Rachel Zegler.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Tehran's stock market also responded positively to the diplomatic developments, with the main index gaining 62,000 points or more than two percent.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
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Broader market indices — like the S&P 500, which is down 8.6% since the start of the year — have flirted with bear market territory, lending to concerns of a recession in the year ahead.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Sometimes songs are written by fan clubs and are tailored to taunt that day’s opponent.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
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The man’s life is unraveling because of the grief that takes the form of an unhinged and unwanted houseguest – a crow – that taunts him from the shadows.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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On Wednesday, the VIX index , Wall Street’s fear gauge once again topped 30.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2025
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Stock market uncertainty from President Donald Trump’s tariffs has even casual investors anxiously watching the VIX, commonly called Wall Street’s panic index or fear gauge.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This Is Psychological Warfare Romance baiting — once known as pig butchering — is a cybercrime built on social engineering.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Kuzmenko baited Jacob Trouba, who played for the first time since April 3, opening up space in the low slot for Byfield’s redirection.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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