needle

American  

[need-l] / ˈnid l /

noun

needles plural

1. a small, slender, rodlike instrument, usually of polished steel, with a sharp point at one end and an eye or hole for thread at the other, for passing thread through cloth to make stitches in sewing.

2. any of various similar, usually considerably larger, implements for making stitches, as one for use in knitting or one hooked at the end for use in crocheting.

3. Medicine/Medical.

   1. a slender, pointed, steel instrument used in sewing or piercing tissues, as in suturing.

   2. hypodermic needle.

4. Informal. an injection of a drug or medicine; shot.

5. any of various objects resembling or suggesting a needle.

6. the tapered stylus at the end of a phonographic tonearm, used to transmit vibrations from a record groove to a transducer for conversion to audible signals.

7. Electricity. magnetic needle.

8. a pointed instrument, or stylus, used in engraving, etching, or the like.

9. Botany. a needle-shaped leaf, as of a conifer.

   a pine needle.

10. Zoology. a slender sharp spicule.

11. Chemistry, Mineralogy. a needlelike crystal.

12. a sharp-pointed mass or pinnacle of rock.

13. an obelisk or a tapering, four-sided shaft of stone.

    Cleopatra's Needle.

14. Also called needle beam.  Building Trades. a short beam passed through a wall as a temporary support.

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verb (used with object)

needles, present (3rd person singular) needled, past participle, past needling present participle

1. to sew or pierce with or as if with a needle.

   to needle a patch on a sleeve.

2. Informal.

   1. to prod or goad (someone) to a specified action.

      We needled her into going with us.

   2. to tease.

      We needled him about his big ears.

3. Slang. to add alcohol or ether to (a beverage).

   to needle beer.

verb (used without object)

needles, present (3rd person singular) needled, past participle, past needling present participle

1. to form needles in crystallization.

2. to work with a needle.

idioms

1. the needle, irritating abuse; teasing; heckling (used especially in the phrases give someone the needle andget the needle ).

2. on the needle, taking drugs by injection, especially habitually.

needle British  

/ ˈniːdəl /

noun

1. a pointed slender piece of metal, usually steel, with a hole or eye in it through which thread is passed for sewing

2. a somewhat larger rod with a point at one or each end, used in knitting

3. a similar instrument with a hook at one end for crocheting

4. 1. another name for stylus

   2. a small thin pointed device, esp one made of stainless steel, used to transmit the vibrations from a gramophone record to the pick-up

5. med

   1. the long hollow pointed part of a hypodermic syringe, which is inserted into the body

   2. an informal name for hypodermic syringe

6. surgery a pointed steel instrument, often curved, for suturing, puncturing, or ligating

7. a long narrow stiff leaf, esp of a conifer, in which water loss is greatly reduced

   pine needles

8. any slender sharp spine, such as the spine of a sea urchin

9. any slender pointer for indicating the reading on the scale of a measuring instrument

10. short for magnetic needle

11. a crystal resembling a needle in shape

12. a sharp pointed metal instrument used in engraving and etching

13. anything long and pointed, such as an obelisk

    a needle of light

14. a short horizontal beam passed through a wall and supported on vertical posts to take the load of the upper part of the wall

15. informal

    1. anger or intense rivalry, esp in a sporting encounter

    2. ( as modifier )

       a needle match

16. informal to feel dislike, distaste, nervousness, or annoyance (for)

    she got the needle after he had refused her invitation

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verb

1. informal (tr) to goad or provoke, as by constant criticism

2. (tr) to sew, embroider, or prick (fabric) with a needle

3. (tr) to increase the alcoholic strength of (beer or other beverages)

4. (intr) (of a substance) to form needle-shaped crystals

needle Scientific  

/ nēd′l /

1. A narrow, stiff leaf, as of firs, pines, and other conifers. The reduced surface area of needles minimizes water loss and allows needle-bearing plants to live in dry climates.

2. See more at leaf

3. See hypodermic needle

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needle More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing needle

• on pins and needles

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• needlelike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• needles
  plural

Participles

• needling
  present
• needled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• needle
  simple
• needles
  simple
• have needled
  perfect
• has needled
  perfect
• am needling
  progressive
• are needling
  progressive
• is needling
  progressive
• have been needling
  perfect progressive
• has been needling
  perfect progressive

Past

• needled
  simple
• had needled
  perfect
• was needling
  progressive
• were needling
  progressive
• had been needling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will needle
  simple
• will have needled
  perfect
• will be needling
  progressive
• will have been needling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of needle

First recorded before 900; 1880–85 needle for def. 16; Middle English nedle, Old English nǣdl, cognate with German Nadel; akin to Latin nēre to spin

Explanation

A needle is a small, pointed piece of metal that's used in medicine or sewing. When a tailor sews a button on your shirt or even when a doctor sews your skin back together, a needle is used. Needles are sharp — when you stitch fabric with a needle, you might use a metal thimble to protect your fingertip. When a doctor or nurse uses a needle, it needs to be very sharp — it has to be able to penetrate human skin to stitch up a wound or inject a medication. When you needle someone, you don't literally poke them, but you do annoy or provoke them in some way.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

needle needles needled needling

“That is an almost impossible needle to thread and explains our market perform rating.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

The surprises came from the rock acts brought in to re-imagine the most evocative needle drops from Anderson’s ouvre.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

This can make it difficult for patients with needle phobia or who don’t want to self-inject due to the inconvenience.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026

Developments like having humanoid robots inside factories are still likely several years away at best, and it will take time for automation and AI adoption to meaningfully move the needle in terms of earnings.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

I had needle thorns sticking in my head and arms, but most especially in my bottom.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

So, go ahead, keep NBA schedule-makers on pins and needles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

If you don't like needles, the tablet may be a better option for you.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

On any given day, suitcases contain supplies that would accommodate a hospital operating room, including scalpels, needles and IV bags.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

The best place to hide needles is in a haystack.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026

Please bring your needles and the latest quilt you’ve been working on to Dr. Karlsson’s office immediately.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Mr. Ireland indicates the uneven power dynamics involved when Leigh, though squirming at the idea, is needled into answering the same repulsive question, settling on Margaret Thatcher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

During the July 2025 interview, there were some tense moments: Owens needled Fuentes over why he hadn’t married and started a family.

From Salon ● Jan. 2, 2026

During the session in 2017, he needled Rex Tillerson - urging him to describe Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal which Tillerson refused to do.

From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2025

Anthony Munoz, the future Hall of Fame offensive tackle, remembers his coach sticking up for him at training table in the late 1970s when teammates playfully needled him about his long hair.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2024

A soft-skinned boy in glasses with taffy-colored hair and the finest trace of a mustache needled across his lip.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

British journalist Piers Morgan, who delights in needling Australia, posted his condolences along with a prayer emoji on social media: "My thoughts with @CricketAus at this very difficult time."

From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026

Dry needling is a treatment for pain and movement issues involving the insertion of tiny needles into the body.

From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2025

One girl in school enjoyed needling me: “Why weren’t you in school yesterday? Oh, I bet because you were on TV.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

Aukerman, now with a much brasher energy, starts needling Mantzoukas, who bandies jokes back across the net.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2024

There is an almost unbearable pain needling my fingers as a result of these overabundant scribblings.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• badger
• bait
• bedevil
• goad
• hector
• irk
• irritate
• nag
• pester
• prod
• taunt
• tweak