PRICKING Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

pricking 1 of 2

adjective

as in stinging

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pricking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prick

as in prickling

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pricking

Adjective

Mungiu craftily plants the seed of this crisis in his opening shot, set in the aftermath of a stinging act of parental discipline.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
At an early New York screening, Douglas recalls Wall Street traders being stunned by the film’s stinging accuracy.

— Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of stinging

Verb

Initial symptoms of rabies include flu-like illness including weakness or discomfort, fever, or headache, and discomfort, prickling, or an itching sensation at the site of the bite.

— Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
As Luke walks off, his shirt undone and his furry belly prickling in the desert cold, Danny turns and stares out into the backyard.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026

Definition of prickling

Adjective

Dickerson was the first physician to treat Mike Studeny, who was diagnosed with a non-bleeding stroke.

— Christa Swanson, CBS News, 9 May 2026
In tests using mice, after surgical damage to the liver, AGCL was able to perform significantly better than other current anti-bleeding agents, with normal liver function returning just two weeks after its application.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Jan. 2026

Definition of bleeding

Verb

My physical study, on the floor, poking at what was there in the open field of the air, led to newfound levels of learning to process, in poems on the page, where my initial feelings of hunger came from.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
In a recent interview with OutKick Dropkick, Hefner was already poking the bear in hopes of getting eyes on his event.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of poking

Adjective

Some of Ohtani's offensive slump can be traced to nagging injuries that limited him to just 139 games in the regular season.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
But a nagging calf injury sidelined him throughout training camp, the preseason and the start of the regular season.

— Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of nagging

Verb

Executioners spent more than two hours trying to find a vein, possibly puncturing his bladder before giving up.

— Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026
The shrapnel tore through the metal surrounding the engine, shattering the window at row 11, leaving a dent in the plane near row 8 and puncturing the body below the wing, as well as gouging and denting the tail, the NTSB said.

— Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of puncturing

Adjective

Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026

Definition of burning

Verb

While some companies made dramatically bitchy exits from the state in recent years, there are signs that several are itching to get back to the golden coast.

— Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
The takeaway for anyone itching to be first in line is simple.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of itching

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.

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

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Synonyms of pricking

adjective

verb

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