Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

needle in a haystack

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.78 in modern English

Syllables: needle in a haystack
IPA

30

Scrabble Score

17

Letters

1

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Something that is difficult or impossible to locate.

Example Sentences

"You'll never find the paper you need on her desk. You're looking for a needle in a haystack."

Inflected Forms

needles in a haystack (plural) needles in haystacks (plural)

Questions

What does needle in a haystack mean?: Something that is difficult or impossible to locate.

How to pronounce needle in a haystack

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “needle in a haystack”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “needle in a haystack”.
Repeat and practice — Say “needle in a haystack” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.