needle-nose pliers

noun

nee·​dle-nose pliers ˈnē-dᵊl-ˌnōz- How to pronounce needle-nose pliers (audio)
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: pliers with long slender jaws used for grasping small or thin objects

Examples of needle-nose pliers in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
One way to remove a broken bulb, as per MacDonald, is by fixing a set of needle-nose pliers to the base of the cap. Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2022 Grab a pair of needle-nose pliers and a ripe peach. Ella Quittner, Bon Appétit, 16 July 2022 For more great additions to your tool set, check out our picks for the best cordless drills, needle-nose pliers, and electric screwdrivers. Alex Rennie, Popular Mechanics, 24 July 2022 For those who lack needle-nose pliers, old stand-bys—like the wedge-and-twist method, in which one cuts a peach into halves or quarters, then twists the flesh from the pit—are going nowhere. Ella Quittner, Bon Appétit, 16 July 2022 Remove a rope plug from the plastic wrapper, flatten one end with the needle-nose pliers, and push it through the eyelet on the installation tool. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 31 May 2020 Don’t forget a net for hauling in fish, a pair of needle-nose pliers to help remove the hook, and a knife for cutting line. Outside Online, 17 June 2020 But one thing needle-nose pliers can’t do—even ones with serrated jaws—is effectively grip bolt heads without stripping them. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 25 Feb. 2022 Police found shards of glass and a needle-nose pliers inside the window’s curtains. Daily Southtown Staff, chicagotribune.com, 20 July 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of needle-nose pliers was in 1971

Dictionary Entries Near needle-nose pliers

Cite this Entry

“Needle-nose pliers.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needle-nose%20pliers. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!