- present participle of needle.
needling
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.
After graduating, she began practicing conventional Western medicine at a clinic by day, and needling animals in their living rooms on evenings and weekends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
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
Benji is caustic, needling and selfish — the kind of guy who hogs the window seat, the shower and everyone’s attention.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025
That’s when the needling kicked into a higher gear.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2024
We hadn’t even reached the baggage claim and he had his arm around me, needling my sister with his embarrassing behavior.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
