needling 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of needlingnext
as in mocking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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needling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of needle
1
as in teasing
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults we needled him mercilessly for thinking that he had any chance of being the prom date for the school's most popular girl

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in nagging
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders quit needling me! I'll take out the trash in a minute!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for needling
  1. teasing
  2. urging
  3. mocking
  4. derisive
  5. begging
  6. bothering
Verb
  • The show will see Beyoncé perform songs from her country album Cowboy Carter live for the first time—with the NFL teasing that there will be surprise guests joining the Grammy-winning musician onstage at the NRG Stadium.
    Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
  • The four-time Grammy winner began teasing Lana as early as last year, revealing a set of covers in December 2023.
    Brendan Le, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of teasing
Verb
  • To help with the high intake levels, the AHS is urging the community to adopt from local shelters instead of purchasing a pet from a breeder or a pet store as shelters are full of pets waiting for a second chance.
    Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The union is urging customers to boycott Starbucks stores during the strike and show up at picket lines to show their support for workers.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of urging
Verb
  • Quad’s grievances spill over into her relationship with Heavenly, which ties into Heavenly and Quad mocking Sweet Tea on social media.
    Shelby Stewart, Essence, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Naturally, the Internet lost its mind, and the scene quickly went viral, with viewers mocking and/or sharing their disbelief at Sheridan's dialogue.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of mocking
Adjective
  • Yet Horse Crazy is one of the best American novels about obsession in part because the narrator mostly dislikes Gregory, subjecting this object of lust to the same derisive interior voice that comments on virtually every other aspect of his life.
    Daniel Felsenthal, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024
  • Sanders didn’t win either primary, but the recurring debate each election cycle helped create and standardize a set of derisive talking points that remains popular today.
    Constance Grady, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Definition of derisive
Verb
  • Umpteen chances went begging long before Rovers managed to make their first and only on-target effort of the afternoon count.
    Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
  • As the Coast Guard sped toward the cruise ship, Pam was still on the phone with the Norwegian employee in Miami, begging her to tell the ship to wait.
    Bridget Read, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of begging
Verb
  • Somehow, that doesn’t cure Guillermo’s melancholy, and the other vamps theorize about why this is bothering Guillermo so much.
    Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Instead, focus on things like what's been bothering you in the past week, stress about an upcoming event, or a work incident that rubbed you the wrong way.
    Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of bothering
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near needling

needleworkers

needling

needs

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Cite this Entry

“Needling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needling. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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