on the needle

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

In the habit of taking recreational drugs intravenously.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “on the needle” mean?

In the habit of taking recreational drugs intravenously.

Is “on the needle” formal or informal?

on the needle is generally slang.