needle 1 of 2

noun

ˈnē-dᵊl How to pronounce needle (audio)
Definition of needlenext
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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2
as in indicator
an arrow-shaped piece on a dial or scale for registering information simply by reading the compass needle you should be able to figure out in which direction we're heading

Synonyms & Similar Words

needle

2 of 2

verb

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

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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!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 needle
Noun
Starting point for hikes into Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass are some of Banff National Park’s best (ablaze in autumn when larch needles are golden). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026 Nearly a century of technological progress, from electrification to the PC to the internet to the cloud, moved the needle by four hours. — Dan Schawbel, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
Paint to paper, needle to thread—like couture, fashion illustration is a discipline of the hand. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 13 July 2026 Lestat wants Molloy to tell his side of the story, but Lestat also can’t bear to open up, spending more time needling Molloy than actually engaging with his questions. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
  1. syringe
  2. indicator
  3. tease
  4. dog
  5. index
  6. taunt
  7. urge
  8. bait
Noun
  • Not to mention, many people (understandably) have mixed feelings about injecting Juvéderm or Restylane and the rest of their ilk into their faces for a bit of a volume boost, or balk at the price for half a syringe of the hyaluronic acid fillers.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The impetus for the ban, as council members noted, was syringe litter in public spaces.
    — Paul Christine, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of syringe
Noun
  • The indicator was almost certainly deep into overbought territory during the May surge.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Running out of cash on hand is the clearest indicator that a college is at high risk of closure, Kelchen added, while consistent operating losses, enrollment declines, and large withdrawals from endowments can also signal distress.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of indicator
Verb
  • Professional athletes have joked about it in the past, with even all-time NBA great LeBron James teasing at a potential college sports journey post-retirement—albeit as more of a joke than an actual plan.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The special included 27 minutes of content that revealed cinematic and gameplay scenes throughout the fictional Vice City and teases the overall narrative of the game.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of tease
Verb
  • Electric vehicles for years have been dogged by worries about fire.
    — Todd C. Frankel, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Morrison was a three-and-out player, while Greathouse has been dogged by injuries, and Flores and Mickey transferred.
    — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog
Noun
  • If those gains survive the waning months of 2026, all three indexes would post their fourth consecutive year of gains.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The rise lifted some components of the index into overbought territory, as measured by the relative strength index (RSI), a momentum indicator that tracks the speed and size of price changes.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of index
Verb
  • Continue reading … -- POLITICS 'BAD LOOK' – Newsom's attack dog taunts Buttigieg over South Carolina visit as 2028 fight heats up.
    — , FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Cunningham’s highlights are hard fouls, a few 3-pointers, taunting, serving as a ring girl at a UFC fight, her sense of humor, and now commentary that has a Fox flair.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of taunt
Verb
  • The criticism then broadened, with Jewish leaders, museum donors and New York politicians publicly urging the museum to reconsider.
    — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Sierra Club emailed notices to members last week urging them to enter the permit lottery again.
    — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of urge
Verb
  • Another day, another millennial-nostalgia-baiting sequel to a classic late 1990s or early 2000s movie.
    — Lauren O’Neill, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • And not only that, but some will do the old bait-and-switch with payments.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of bait

Phrases Containing needle

Browse Nearby Words

needing
needle
needled
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Cite this Entry

“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on needle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about needle

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