prickle 1 of 2

as in to pierce
to cause or experience an unpleasant feeling that is like the feeling of having many small, sharp points against your skin The burrs were prickling my arm. The wool sweater prickled my skin.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

prickle

2 of 2

noun

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 prickle
Verb
But the comedy brings flabbiness, too, the pace slackening, with not enough prickling tension between them. The Week Uk, theweek, 26 Sep. 2024 To start, paresthesia – a sensation of prickling or burning or numbness. Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2024
Noun
My skin got that proper prickle. Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2021 Paul Leonard-Morgan’s score is haunting and foreboding, making the hairs on the back of our neck prickle. Courtney Howard, Variety, 16 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for prickle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickle
Verb
  • If one chapter of your mortal span—your wartime experience, or a love affair—has pierced you more sharply than any other, why shouldn’t that chapter go up front?
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
  • Taking the main melody, the nine-time Grammy winner’s piercing voice soars over lush harmonies provided by the other singers, with Eilish adding her own tasteful riffs throughout.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 5 May 2025
Noun
  • DownDetector, which lets users track outages, showed a spike in customers reporting payment problems starting Friday morning before starting to fall a bit in the afternoon.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
  • The image contains a striking number of cosmic objects, ranging from stars within our own Milky Way galaxy, marked by diffraction spikes, to galaxies located billions of light-years away that serve as relics of the early universe.
    Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • During that same April 5 episode, Weekend Update’s Colin Jost poked fun at the singer in a bit about the economy.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 12 May 2025
  • The contest did not last long as Edwards poked Muhammad in the eye 18 seconds into the second round.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • The fallout between the two legends stems from a broader web of disagreements: 50 Cent feels betrayed by Big Meech’s association with Rick Ross, who has traded public barbs and diss tracks with 50 for years.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • On that beautiful day in April 2024, a crew member read the lines as Jack and Geneviève whispered barbs by the phone.
    Breanne L. Heldman, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That play — not even a full turnover, mind you — is what stings a full year later.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • Malone, who gets Mincemeat’s best song, still looks like a favorite in his category, and Mincemeat did get recognition for its score (written by three of its stars, members of the same comedy troupe), but the lack of enthusiasm elsewhere must sting.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • Both cars should be significantly cheaper than the Jaguar, though Trump’s tariffs have created a snag with the Zeekr.
    Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
  • Adorable footage from Jaylon Beasley shows the moment his three-year-old son caught the fish all by himself after feeling a snag on the line.
    Ashley J. DiMella, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • While some fans responded with skepticism, others were tickled by her humorous post.
    Sam Gillette, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • His friend Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov urges him to compose, using a walking stick to tickle him awake.
    Jeffrey Arlo Brown, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Free stickers are also available at participating locations, while supplies last.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Options include stickers, pressed flowers and tea bags.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Prickle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickle. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on prickle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!