NEEDLED Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

needled

verb

past tense of needle

as in taunted

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

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as in urged

to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders quit needling me! I'll take out the trash in a minute!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of needled The announcement came days after the Department of Transportation needled automakers over their reliance on Chinese supply chains. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026 At a Sunday rally in Georgia, Ossoff needled Trump for accepting a new Air Force One plane from the autocratic monarchy of Qatar and for reportedly hiding in a catering truck to switch to a different plane in Turkey last month. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026 Norris needled Lahti to work out more to beef up his core muscles. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 26 July 2026 Drummer Jay Russell kept to stark rattles, Sam Shipstone patched in his scratchy electric guitar, and Ryan Needham needled through grumbling basslines. — Victoria Borlando, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026 By contrast, Trump is being needled almost weekly by Tillis and other GOP senators whose chattiness with the press has drawn the ire of the president. — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026 Yang was critical of TKO’s handling of the Las Vegas event, which took place last week at Allegiant Stadium for the second straight year and needled the company over the recent wave of WWE departures. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026 Johnson could have needled Woods about their windy Sunday stroll at Augusta in ’07, when Johnson trailed Stuart Appleby by two strokes, and Woods by one, heading into the last round in which Johnson’s 69 produced another slice of history. — Jay Paris, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026 But there are other factors that needled their way into the evolutionary development of dormancy characteristics. — Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for needled

Verb

The woman, who also reported it to the league, alleged that Jackson refused to delete the video and taunted her with it.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Little immediately ran back toward the opposite end zone and taunted some of the Eagles fans who lined the barrier.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of taunted

Verb

Hill expresses, in earnest, the fears of being seen in public spaces, such as a grocery store, hounded by personal questions—an all-too relatable scenario, regardless of one’s background.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
There were also social-media groups that hounded commissioners and sought to sink the hunt.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026

Definition of hounded

Verb

The stance has seen Newsom, who warns the passage of Prop 40 could see an exodus of the super rich from California, mocked and dismissed by fellow Democrats.

— Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed mocked Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy on Saturday, commenting on Portnoy's body and athleticism.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of mocked

Verb

That question has nagged at Pawlikowski’s output, from his earliest documentaries to the present day.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Starting left guard Aaron Banks missed another game due to injury, this time a knee issue that has nagged him all summer.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of nagged

Verb

Theo was not rich, and Vincent constantly complained about being broke, with not even enough money for food, and often practically begged his brother for more money.

— Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
With Blauvelt's killer still on the loose, her family begged for answers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of begged

Verb

Still, Marshall has been dogged by negative headlines over the last month, starting with a debate at the Kansas State Fair where the senator was shouted down by the crowd repeatedly.

— Stephen Fowler, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026
Health problems dogged previous popes with Leo’s predecessor Francis spending an extended period in hospital and facing multiple health difficulties in the final months of his life.

— Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of dogged

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needle

needled

needlelike

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“Needled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/needled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of needled

verb

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