How to Use a needle in a haystack in a Sentence

a needle in a haystack

noun phrase
  • Every piece is a needle in a haystack that makes no sense.
    Louryn Strampe, WIRED, 19 Nov. 2022
  • Finding a sports bra that’s up to the task can feel like digging for a needle in a haystack.
    Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 7 Feb. 2024
  • Still, the door knocking can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
    Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024
  • What could be harder than looking for a needle in a haystack?
    Fox News, 8 July 2022
  • Tracking down the correct iPhone fix can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
    Simon Hill, Wired, 16 Jan. 2022
  • But without much to go on, Conner said the search amounted to looking for a needle in a haystack.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 13 July 2023
  • Finding the perfect pair of sneakers can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.
    Claire Harmeyer, PEOPLE.com, 29 July 2022
  • Middleburg is kind of a needle in a haystack, further from the city, not the most developed.
    Kim Velsey, Curbed, 29 July 2021
  • Getting on the same page as everyone else may feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
    Chicago Tribune, 28 Dec. 2022
  • Finding a comfortable bra may feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
    Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024
  • Finding a needle in a haystack is probably a lot easier than finding a patch of krill in the ocean.
    Connor Lynch, Discover Magazine, 30 Nov. 2022
  • But finding polar bear dens on the snowy, white, blustery tundra is a lot like finding a needle in a haystack.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Jan. 2023
  • Problem is, with so many styles to choose from, finding the right treatment for your home can be the design equivalent to a needle in a haystack.
    Kelsey Mulvey, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2021
  • Normally, finding the brand's models on sale is like finding a needle in a haystack.
    Talene Appleton, Men's Health, 6 July 2023
  • Then comes the scramble to try to understand what’s happening, which can feel like finding a needle in a haystack.
    Aparna Dhinakaran, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2022
  • Lash glues can be quite finicky, and similarly to finding the right pair of lashes, pairing them with the right glue can be just as much of a needle in a haystack.
    Lisa Desantis, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2023
  • Hunting for a high-quality tank can sometimes feel like looking for a needle in a haystack, but style bundlers can help clients sort through the bins.
    Sofia Andrade, Washington Post, 29 July 2023
  • Finding a perfect nude lipstick can be like looking for a needle in a haystack (or, for those with darker skin, like looking for a piece of hay in a needlestack).
    Gabi Thorne, Allure, 18 Oct. 2023
  • The quest often feels like looking for a needle in a haystack, or, in this case, a counter-depth refrigerator in a New Jersey strip mall.
    Ronda Kaysen New York Times, Star Tribune, 28 May 2021
  • Shopping for skincare products meant for mature skin can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
    Daley Quinn, Good Housekeeping, 13 July 2021
  • In what country did a radioactive capsule recently go missing which sparked what was called a search for a needle in a haystack?
    CNN, 2 Feb. 2023
  • Bivens defended law enforcement’s actions during the search and compared it to trying to find a needle in a haystack.
    Ray Sanchez, CNN, 16 Sep. 2023
  • Picking a mattress that’s both supportive and comfortable can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
    Arielle Tschinkel, USA TODAY, 6 July 2021
  • Finding a pair of shoes that look good and, most importantly, feel good can be like finding a needle in a haystack — leading you to sacrifice one for the other.
    Ali Faccenda, Travel + Leisure, 21 Nov. 2023
  • Rather than the current drug development paradigm of searching for a needle in a haystack, our approach brushes the haystack aside to reveal the needle.
    Christina Lopes, STAT, 16 June 2023
  • Finding a bag that can hold your daily essentials is tricky enough — and finding a handbag that's functional yet stylish can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
    Brittany Vanderbill, PEOPLE.com, 15 July 2022
  • Trying to identify mentally ill shooters through health screening is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
    Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2022
  • Instead of trying to find a needle in a haystack, unemployed youngsters may be better off hunting for a job in the same space where recruiters are actively looking to hire.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 7 Mar. 2024
  • Finding low-interest personal loans can feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack when so many options exist.
    Dallas News, 21 Dec. 2022
  • Discovering a kodkod in the wild can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but Barack Obama's new Netflix documentary series pulled it off.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 12 Apr. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a needle in a haystack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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