threads the needle

A form of thread the needle — To perform a tedious task with extreme precision; to manage to find harmony or strike a balance between conflicting forces, interests, etc.

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Meanings

verb
  1. indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of thread the needle
Cite this entry
APA

threads the needle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/threads%20the%20needle

MLA

“threads the needle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/threads%20the%20needle. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “threads the needle,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/threads%20the%20needle.

Source: threads the needle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.