pricking 1 of 2

Definition of prickingnext

pricking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prick

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pricking
Adjective
  • After a stinging loss at Wichita State over the weekend, Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway is still figuring out why the Tigers aren't playing their best.
    Corinne S Kennedy, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 25 Jan. 2026
  • The itchy rash is accompanied by intense stinging, pain, and burning.
    Fara Rosenzweig, Outside, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • People with peripheral neuropathy may experience pins and needles sensations, such as tingling and prickling, in their extremities.
    Laura Dorwart, Health, 22 Dec. 2025
  • It is spread to people and pets through the bites and scratches of an infected animal, and first symptoms may include flu, weakness, discomfort, fever, headache, as well as a prickling sensation at the site of the wound, before turning into more severe disease after around two weeks.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In tests using mice, after surgical damage to the liver, AGCL was able to perform significantly better than other current anti-bleeding agents, with normal liver function returning just two weeks after its application.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Jan. 2026
  • These injuries resulted in 684 days lost per 1,000 training hours during menstruation, compared to 206 days lost during non-bleeding days.
    Ciara Lucas, SELF, 16 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • Homeownership comes with a steady hum of nagging questions — not necessarily urgent, but often debated and almost always unresolved.
    Jessica Elliott, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Despite a season-ending ACL tear sustained by Jimmy Butler and nagging knee soreness hampering Steph Curry, Golden State still has playoff hopes.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The Telltale Signs of Rotary Motion The re-examination revealed unmistakable evidence that this was no simple awl meant for poking holes.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Garlic is a kitchen staple for many, but spotting a green sprout poking out of a clove can raise questions about food safety.
    Caitlin Beale, Health, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Testing is also challenging, as finding a leak requires puncturing the spinal canal, which can create new leaks.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
  • The past two months of mostly sideways churn within 3% of record highs for the S & P 500 has helped to rebalance the market, puncturing the aggressive sense of destiny around many AI plays, subduing some speculative misbehavior and allowing valuations to settle.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • Please tell me the sequel could answer the most burning question of the ’00s: How could Austin not recognize Sam in that mask?
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Cooper, 30, asked Hargitay one more burning question about the actors' on-screen alter egos: will Olivia and Elliot ever end up together?
    Victoria Edel, People.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Hiking enthusiasts itching to get out for a walk in the woods have a new outdoor space to explore in Orange County.
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The race to fill New Jersey’s newly vacant, safely blue House seat has attracted heavy spending and nearly a dozen candidates itching to make it out of the primary.
    Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
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.

Cite this Entry

“Pricking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pricking. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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