prick
noun
a puncture made by a needle, thorn, or the like.
pricked
-
past participleof prick.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof prick.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
pricknouna puncture made by a needle, thorn, or the like.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Indonesian villager Octavius wades through the forest in rubber boots and tattered joggers, ears pricked, eyes peeled, a telephoto lens on his phone primed to capture orangutans, monkeys or birds.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
“She didn’t like being pricked anymore,” said Oskowski, 44, adding that Maddie was happy to stay for a cold-laser treatment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
Please bleed more, I thought, looking at my pricked finger.
From Slate ● May 28, 2025
"Even coming up the hill, he heard the crowd and pricked his ears - he had loads left."
From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2025
Even then Mia had a sense of what she was starting; a hot smell pricked her nostrils, like the first wisp of smoke from a far-off blaze.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
