1
as in puncture
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument
the immunization shot left a prick on my arm that turned into a bruise
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in tingle
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body
she felt a sharp prick when the nurse gave her the shot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prick
Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Twelve suspects have been arrested in France following 145 people across the country claiming they’d been pricked with syringes during a nationwide music festival over the weekend, according to several reports published Monday.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025
However, in Cambrai, a girl who had reported being pricked with a syringe actually had only been scratched in a crowd, La Voix du Nord reported.
—Liam Quinn, People.com, 23 June 2025
The aftermath of Virginia’s clumsy tumble into a rose bed where her exposed cleavage is profusely pricked by thorns lasts for all of one scene.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for prick
Verb
That’s how many people across France reported being pricked with syringes during a nationwide street music festival.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Twelve suspects have been arrested in France following 145 people across the country claiming they’d been pricked with syringes during a nationwide music festival over the weekend, according to several reports published Monday.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025
However, in Cambrai, a girl who had reported being pricked with a syringe actually had only been scratched in a crowd, La Voix du Nord reported.
—Liam Quinn, People.com, 23 June 2025
The aftermath of Virginia’s clumsy tumble into a rose bed where her exposed cleavage is profusely pricked by thorns lasts for all of one scene.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for prick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prick
Noun
-
The fungus enters the body through small cuts or puncture wounds, often from rose thorns or splinters.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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That crisp pastry shell can really hold in the heat, and an abrupt puncture will send a geyser of steaming juice and melted cheese directly onto your tender tongue.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At the Cuernavaca location of this coffee shop, which has four spots around town, the airy jumble was stacked onto sturdy toast spread with the sweet tingle of tomato jam —an ideal breakfast that in lesser hands would be pedestrian.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
29 Jan. 2026
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This overnight treatment has ceramides to support your lips’ natural moisture barrier and a subtle peppermint flavor for a fresh tingle.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But Snead also promised to take an aggressive approach to the cornerback position, given the low investments, lack of recent draft picks and holes the group showed as the season played out.—
Nate Atkins,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Some of those trails, initially seen in January, were made by moving dirt to clear a space and creating small mounds and/or holes in the ground to jump over.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Literally — rise up by elevating yourself in bed, courtesy of Coop Sleep Goods’ Adjustable Wedge Pillow, which can unblock breathing, alleviate everything from acid reflux to back aches, and, when propped under your legs, do wonders in the swelling department.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Some signs of withdrawal from kratom might include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle/joint aches, restlessness, runny nose, excessive yawning, and hot or cold flashes.—
Gary Kirkilas II,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This composition would have made ancient tools harder and more durable than standard copper — a significant advantage for a drill bit that needed to bore through resistant materials.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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That composition would have made the tool harder and more durable than standard copper — a real functional advantage for a piece meant to bore through resistant materials.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
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Everyone’s blood sugar levels sporadically spike, and that’s normal, but keeping it steady helps prevent energy crashes, hunger pangs, and mood swings, Dardarian says.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Outside,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Warning signs of frostbite include: Cold skin A prickling sensation Numbness Skin that appears discolored or looks different than normal Hard or waxy-looking skin Muscle stiffness.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
22 Jan. 2026
-
People with peripheral neuropathy may experience pins and needles sensations, such as tingling and prickling, in their extremities.—
Laura Dorwart,
Health,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Personality traits such as mental toughness, discipline, high pain tolerance and persistence may also lead to worsened eating disorder risk and behaviors in athletes.—
Emily Hemendinger,
The Conversation,
13 Feb. 2026
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And we are bound by ties of community, having attended the same summer camps, showed up at each other’s family celebrations, and felt each other’s pain.—
Lindsay Baach Friedmann,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prick. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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