as in to pierce
to cause or experience an unpleasant feeling that is like the feeling of having many small, sharp points against your skin
The burrs were prickling my arm. The wool sweater prickled my skin.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prickle
Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2024
This may lead to symptoms such as seizures, muscle spasms and contractions, and paresthesia (the sensation of prickling, burning, or tingling in the skin).
—Laura Schober, Health, 3 Sep. 2024
Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2021
The hairs on the back of our neck prickle.
—Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2012
See All Example Sentences for prickle
Verb
To start, paresthesia – a sensation of prickling or burning or numbness.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2024
This may lead to symptoms such as seizures, muscle spasms and contractions, and paresthesia (the sensation of prickling, burning, or tingling in the skin).
—Laura Schober, Health, 3 Sep. 2024
Noun
My skin got that proper prickle.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2021
The hairs on the back of our neck prickle.
—Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2012
See All Example Sentences for prickle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickle
Verb
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That, for me, is the only piercing message of this whole thing.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2025
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That list was winnowed in December to three corridors, including what is known as the Southwestern Grid Connector — which would run up the eastern edge of New Mexico, scrape the western edge of the Oklahoma panhandle and pierce the southeast corner of Colorado.—
John Aguilar,
The Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The wasps’ strange abdomens each had three flaps with small spikes and trigger hairs, similar to the motion-detecting hairs on a Venus flytrap.—
Sara Hashemi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
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And that had led to a spike in venereal diseases like syphilis.—
Laura Gómez,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Mary Fowler momentarily looks down and holds up a very neat yellow square of knitting to the camera, two wooden needles poking out either side.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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During the incident, Konig also allegedly attempted to poke the woman with two syringes, Hawaii News Now reported, citing law enforcement sources.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
People.com,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Just days after the fiery exchange in which Zelenskyy traded barbs with the U.S. leaders, Trump announced the temporary suspension of all military aid to Ukraine.—
Evan Nierman,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2025
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Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Susan Crawford and Brad Schimel traded barbs and defended their track records Wednesday night during their only debate for an open seat on the high court.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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With very little time left in the season, how the Lakers respond to Thursday’s stinging defeat could have a significant impact on their playoff outlook.—
Khobi Price,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2025
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Bruce was badly bruised by experiences at Newcastle and West Brom, the two jobs that preceded Blackpool where personal criticisms stung.—
Philip Buckingham,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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After that, everything basically fell into place, apart from one big snag: The rear fan was too close to the motherboard tray to slide our motherboard over the case’s standoffs without scraping; the I/O connectors' top cover got in the way.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
2 Mar. 2025
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Barring those snags, at this price, the Razr 2024 is a good way to test the folding-phone waters without breaking the bank.—
Julian Chokkattu,
WIRED,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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One of my favorite recent finds is a Korean-language creator sprinting between the left and right channels of the mic, landing critical-hits on your ears by tickling both sides in a mad volley.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
12 Mar. 2025
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The creature, with its small eyes, a pink, sniffling nose, and gray spikes that did not hurt but only tickled, did not have a name.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Arriving for a recent elephant seal tour at Año Nuevo State Park north of Santa Cruz, Stefanie Arriola, of Los Gatos, pulled up in the parking lot with her 4-year-old son, Ernie, and a sticker of Toothless on her car window.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2025
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Dutiful wives and relatives leave their belongings in fancy lockers adorned with stickers of fruits, while each of their visits takes place behind colorful doors.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickle. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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