needle 1 of 2

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

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
But while Zuckerberg claims that hosting that kind of content doesn't move the needle much anymore, owning the biggest platforms that people use daily to connect with friends and family obviously still matters to Meta, MeWe founder Mark Weinstein told Ars. ArsTechnica, 21 May 2025 Darker pigments like soot were pricked into their skin with needles tied together. Serena Billett, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2025
Verb
The Defender’s large footprint is justified by its considerable luggage capacity, but at the end of the day, the challenges of needling the 110 through narrow roadways and squeezing it into tight parking spots can become a chore. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025 The Defender’s large footprint is justified by its considerable luggage capacity, but at the end of the day, the challenges of needling the 110 through narrow roadways and squeezing it into tight parking spots can become a chore. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for needle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for needle
Noun
  • The city has programs in place that pass out clean needles, with a syringe access program operating seven days a week.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 6 May 2025
  • Restylane is currently $650 per syringe at Well Medical Arts.
    Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Total new orders, an indicator of overall demand, also contracted for the first time in eight months.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 June 2025
  • Throughout our lives, we have been taught that comparison is an indicator of our worth.
    Veronica Angela, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • For example, in an exclusive with Vanity Fair, Chu teases two brand new songs written by original Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz that will be featured in the film.
    DeVonne Goode, Parents, 4 June 2025
  • Richard first teased their move to his wife’s native Spain in an April 2024 interview with Vanity Fair Spain, despite having lived in the United States since they got married in 2018.
    Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • The cuts are also hitting St. Louis, often dogged by being labeled one of the most dangerous cities in America.
    Bram Sable-Smith, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
  • The reopened highway, which is dogged by traffic jams in normal times, is likely to be slow going for years as debris clearance and reconstruction continue.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • The index advanced for 16 months consecutively from August 2020 to December 2021.
    Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • The university’s index of consumer sentiment is down almost 30% since January.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • After taking care of business on the scoreboard, Matthew Tkachuk took care of business with Aho, taunting and pushing and trying to fight him in a manner Aho didn’t want and his Carolina teammates didn’t rush.
    Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 25 May 2025
  • This isn’t just about the flashbacks to Reggie Miller taunting Spike Lee or those great battles from roughly three decades ago.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • On Friday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released the latest Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index—a key inflation gauge watched closely by the Federal Reserve.
    , CNBC, 4 June 2025
  • The Dollar The strength of the dollar is partly a gauge of how much faith people in other countries have in the United States.
    John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • Trump administration live updates Republicans also criticized Democrats for twice baiting CBO into hypothetical analyses that were not necessarily intended to be published.
    John Parkinson, ABC News, 12 May 2025
  • What if family pets were baited to die by spears, crossbows and AR-15s?
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needle. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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