needle drop

noun

plural needle drops
1
: the dropping of needles by a conifer (such as a spruce, yew, or pine)
Fall needle drop occurs each year …—Deborah Brown
2
: a popular song used in a film or television show for dramatic effect
… heavy metal needle drops add a flourish to sword fights …—Robert Daniels
—often hyphenated when used before another noun
needle-drop scores

Examples of needle drop in a Sentence

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.
Yet Schoenbrun’s needle drops also seem to have been chosen to make the audience chuckle. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 Like other Murphy projects, expect modern music choices, with needle drops from Kate Bush and indie rockers Wet Leg on the soundtrack. — Dan Medeiros, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 Staging a great needle drop isn’t the same thing as directing a great movie. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 July 2026 This whole idea, in general, of doing a James Gunn impression, with space bar fights and needle drops during slow-motion circular spinning fight scenes. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for needle drop

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of needle drop was in 1937

Rhymes for needle drop

See All Rhymes for needle drop

Browse Nearby Words

needle dam
needle drop
needle file
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Needle drop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needle%20drop. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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