Illustration of needle
- 1 suture
- 2 sewing
- 3 knitting
1
a
: a small slender usually steel instrument that has an eye for thread or surgical sutures at one end and that is used for sewing
b
: any of various devices for carrying thread and making stitches (as in crocheting or knitting)
c(1)
: a slender hollow instrument for introducing material into or removing material from the body (as by insertion under the skin)
(2)
: an extremely thin solid usually stainless steel instrument used in acupuncture and inserted through the skin
d
: any of various slender hollow devices used to introduce matter (such as air) into or remove it from an object (such as a ball)
2
a
: a slender bar of magnetized steel that when allowed to turn freely (as in a compass) indicates the direction of a magnetic field (as of the earth)
b
: a slender usually sharp-pointed indicator on a dial
3
a
: a slender pointed object resembling a needle: such as
(1)
: a pointed crystal
(2)
: a sharp rock
(3)
: obelisk
b
: a needle-shaped leaf (as of a conifer)
c
: a slender rod (as of jewel or steel) with a rounded tip used in a phonograph to transmit vibrations from a record : stylus
d
: a slender pointed rod controlling a fine inlet or outlet (as in a valve)
4
: a teasing or gibing remark
Examples of needle in a Sentence
Noun
I need a needle and thread to sew the button on your shirt.
The needle on the scale points to 9 grams.
The compass needle points north.
Verb
His classmates needled him about his new haircut.
we needled him mercilessly for thinking that he had any chance of being the prom date for the school's most popular girl
Recent Examples on the Web
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
Leyland cypress is susceptible to needle or tip blight.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Russia is needling Ukraine’s European allies with asymmetrical warfare – sabotage and cyberattacks – to perhaps provoke a wider conflict while imposing costs.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needle
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show current usage.
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Noun
Long before Brent Headrick lit up radar guns with his left arm, the Yankees reliever sent speedometer needles flying with a step of his right foot.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
Leyland cypress is susceptible to needle or tip blight.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
The pair began to exchange words early in the second half, cracking the type of crooked smiles that hardly concealed the competitiveness driving both players to chirp and ridicule and needle one another on both ends of the court.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Russia is needling Ukraine’s European allies with asymmetrical warfare – sabotage and cyberattacks – to perhaps provoke a wider conflict while imposing costs.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for needle
Cite this Entry
“Needle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needle. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
needle
1 of 2 noun
nee·dle
ˈnēd-ᵊl 
1
a
: a small slender usually steel instrument that has an eye for thread or surgical sutures at one end and is used for sewing
b
: any of various devices for carrying thread and making stitches (as in crocheting or knitting)
c
: a slender hollow usually stainless steel instrument by which material is put into or taken from the body through the skin
d
: an extremely thin solid usually stainless steel instrument used in acupuncture and inserted through the skin
2
a
: a slender bar of magnetized steel that is free to turn (as in a compass) to show the direction of a magnetic field
b
: a slender pointer on a dial
3
a
: a slender pointed object (as a pointed crystal or an obelisk)
b
: a leaf (as of a pine) shaped like a needle
4
: a slender piece of jewel or steel with a rounded tip used in a phonograph to transmit vibrations from the record
needle
2 of 2 verb
needled; needling
ˈnēd-liŋ
-ᵊl-iŋ
2
: to cause to take action by repeated stinging remarks
Medical Definition
needle
1 of 2 noun
nee·dle
ˈnēd-ᵊl
1
: a small slender usually steel instrument designed to carry sutures when sewing tissues in surgery
2
: a slender hollow instrument for introducing material into or removing material from the body parenterally
needle
2 of 2 transitive verb
needled; needling
ˈnēd-liŋ, -ᵊl-iŋ
: to puncture, operate on, or inject with a needle
needling a cataract
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