pinprick

1 of 2

noun

pin·​prick ˈpin-ˌprik How to pronounce pinprick (audio)
1
: a small puncture made by or as if by a pin
2
: a petty irritation or annoyance

pinprick

2 of 2

verb

pinpricked; pinpricking; pinpricks

transitive verb

: to administer pinpricks to

intransitive verb

: to administer pinpricks

Examples of pinprick in a Sentence

Noun He felt a pinprick in his leg. the nurse kindly put a decorated bandage over the pinprick from the injection
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Empty space threatens to overwhelm her lattice of pinpricks and sparkles; her granular timbres often seem on the verge of dissolving into nothingness. Pitchfork, 5 Dec. 2024 The other shapes in the background—mere pinpricks of orange, yellow and green light—are more galaxies, and their colors reveal properties such as their distances from Earth, per a NASA statement. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
At this height, the real thing looks fake, a composite of toy skyscrapers, tinfoil rivers, pinprick traffic lights, Central Park the size of a welcome mat, and some sort of nature in the hazy distance. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2021 The teeny pinpricks force the skin to heal and build up stronger than before, while the device also deposits serum deeper into the skin. Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, 9 Nov. 2018 See all Example Sentences for pinprick 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1871, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinprick was in 1755

Dictionary Entries Near pinprick

Cite this Entry

“Pinprick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinprick. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

pinprick

noun
pin·​prick
ˈpin-ˌprik
: a small puncture made by or as if by a pin
also : a small but unpleasant sensation
the steady pinprick of a guilty conscience
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!