hairy

adjective

ˈher-ē How to pronounce hairy (audio)
Definition of hairynext
1
as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair a hairy spider

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fuzzy
made of or resembling hair found enough hairy clumps around the house to make another cat a hairy mass of fiberglass insulation

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling landing on that airstrip is always a hairy proposition

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in disturbing
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the snowstorm made for a hairy commute back home that evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hairy Following a hairy landing and bombardment, the pace drops dramatically. — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 New leaves frequently emerge reddish, and the plant may grow as a ground cover, shrub, or climbing vine with hairy aerial roots. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 15 July 2026 This daring accessory was first debuted in Schiaparelli’s fall 2024 ready-to-wear collection, and the hairy tie has been making the rounds with other celebrities such as Selma Blair. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 6 July 2026 The ambitious series will debut new episodes later this year, making this the perfect time to prop up your hairy feet and marathon the first two seasons. — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hairy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hairy
  1. shaggy
  2. fuzzy
  3. difficult
  4. disturbing
  5. silky
  6. rough
  7. sensitive
  8. uneasy
Adjective
  • The ferocious character also features shaggy black-and-orange hair that matches his tattered pants, and a large necklace adorned with teeth.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 July 2026
  • In February, the actress was spotted in Los Angeles with film producer Josh Lieberman sporting a short, shaggy haircut that enhanced her natural texture.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
Definition of shaggy
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the fuzzy nanofiber coating adheres to much smaller particles, which would normally pass through conventional filters.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
  • But the timing and temperatures are still fuzzy, and highs could reach the low 90s again by Sunday, the weather service said.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of fuzzy
Adjective
  • For a long time, we’ve all been told that remastering the older Super Robot Wars games was extremely difficult, due to all the licensing and other costs involved.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • After three difficult years, armed groups loyal to Tehran appear to be bouncing back across the Middle East, reinforcing Iran’s leverage in its war with the US and Israel.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • To say all of this is eye-opening and disturbing doesn’t begin to cover it.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • These are questions that can be discomfiting, even disturbing.
    — Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The star topped off the ensemble with a complementary beauty look, including her silky straight red tresses cascading down her shoulders, bright blush and a bold red lip.
    — Morgan Evans, USA Today, 31 July 2026
  • Pull-on pants, whether silky, crafted from a linen-blend, or 100-percent cotton look so stylish thanks to their relatively simple, unfussy silhouette.
    — Eva Thomas, InStyle, 31 July 2026
Definition of silky
Adjective
  • Even a rough one shortens the negotiation and produces a fairer number for both sides.
    — Chris Ryan, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • The men were diving a reef off Duck Key, in the Middle Keys, when they became separated from their boat amid rough waters, FWC spokeswoman Arielle Callender said.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • Companies that work in sensitive, regulated industries like finance are especially keen on open models, Pierre Stock, Mistral’s vice president of science, told CNN.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • What scammers can steal Once installed, the malware can capture sensitive information entered on the device, including usernames, passwords, banking credentials and email logins.
    — Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • The two had been in an uneasy alliance ruling the country following the 2019 overthrow of Sudan’s longtime dictator, Omar al-Bashir, who had been in power since 1989.
    — Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
  • In the upcoming third season, Kimmie finally has a seat at the Bellarie table, but when a deadly family feud erupts, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with Mallory.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 July 2026
Definition of uneasy

Browse Nearby Words

hair-trigger
hairy
hairy-chested
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hairy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hairy. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on hairy

Nglish: Translation of hairy for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All