haystack

noun

hay·​stack ˈhā-ˌstak 

1

: a stack of hay

2

: a vertical standing wave in turbulent river waters

Examples of haystack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Finding a great mascara can feel a bit like finding a needle in the haystack — especially when there are hundreds on the market, ranging in price from pennies to a number that seems ridiculous to spend on a small tube. —Abby Kass, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025

For a property worth the splurge, Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa sits right on the beach, with spacious rooms featuring cast-iron soaking tubs and locally made bath salts, plus views of Pacific City’s haystack rock from a private balcony. —Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 13 Jan. 2025

Old men who leap naked over haystacks are no particular delight to me, either. —Joy Williams, Harper's Magazine, 2 May 2024

Both acoustic and visual detection methods must identify very small signals within a large amount of noise, the proverbial needle in a haystack. —Vikram Mittal, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing haystack

• a needle in a haystack

Rhymes for haystack

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

haystack

noun

hay·​stack -ˌstak 

: a stack of hay