as in poking
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.
Related Words
Relevance
as in stinging
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickling
Verb
-
On Wednesday, March 19, the couple filmed an Instagram Reel poking fun at their recent red carpet interview with Extra at the grand re-opening of Planet Hollywood in NYC on Tuesday, March 11.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
20 Mar. 2025 -
Generally, a plant whose roots are poking out will be completely root-bound.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Justin previously debuted a nostril piercing almost a decade ago with an Instagram selfie in 2016, according to outlets Cosmopolitan and Refinery29.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
31 Mar. 2025
-
There was something stark and piercing in me that was much closer to clarity than to muddle, but calling it a muddle took less effort.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
That nagging pit in her stomach, that anxiety — not just hers but the larger LGBTQ+ community in general — were always front and center in her mind.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
-
Breslow acknowledged pitchers are always dealing with some small nagging injury in a 162-game schedule.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
Tom Cruise has been awarded the Guinness World Record for most burning parachute jumps by an individual, netting a whopping 16 flaming jumps while filming Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
-
The action star, 62, now has a Guinness World Records title for most burning parachute jumps by an individual, the organization announced Thursday, June 5.—
Jack Smart,
People.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
The thermal conductivity of the lunar surface acts as a blanket and stops some of the sun’s heat from penetrating into the ground.—
Paul Smaglik,
Discover Magazine,
6 Mar. 2025
-
Every lifestyle guru worth watching has some uniquely irrepressible quality, from the Martha-like obsessiveness with which Gwyneth approaches wellness to Oprah’s talent for penetrating conversation.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
4 Mar. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Prickling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickling. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share