1
2
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
she dreaded having to deal with her prickly boss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
a prickly issue that will outrage at least one special interest if not handled delicately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of prickly
Based on the bestselling novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.
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Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Plant it near tomatoes, squash and strawberries—its prickly leaves deter insect pests.
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Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
26 May 2026
Early in his career, Busch could be a prickly character on the track and with the media.
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Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
There were bladderpods just starting to put out yellow flowers, prickly Shaw agaves beside bright yellow-orange poppies, Western redbuds with round leaves, wild marigolds, clumps of Mexican rush and Howard McMinn manzanita, as well as sunset manzanita and dozens more.
—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prickly
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Plant it near tomatoes, squash and strawberries—its prickly leaves deter insect pests.
—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
26 May 2026
Early in his career, Busch could be a prickly character on the track and with the media.
—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
There were bladderpods just starting to put out yellow flowers, prickly Shaw agaves beside bright yellow-orange poppies, Western redbuds with round leaves, wild marigolds, clumps of Mexican rush and Howard McMinn manzanita, as well as sunset manzanita and dozens more.
—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prickly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickly
Adjective
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Greenberg tried his best to ignore an irritating ankle injury that had plagued him the last couple of weeks and grimaced under the hazy sunlight as the pitcher, probably 20 or more years his junior, stared him down.
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The hypoallergenic face serum is free from potentially irritating ingredients, such as parabens and synthetic fragrances, too.
Adjective
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Cancer could be affectionate and chatty one moment, and withdrawn and irritable the next, with little to no explanation.
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They can be withdrawn or irritable.
Adjective
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The funding of the military has become a thorny issue in the UK.
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Whatever the outcome — sinkhole or man-made — there is an even thornier issue, according to Alyssa Peterson, a longtime community activist who was instrumental in initially organizing the weekly clean-ups.
Adjective
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Aviation experts said those conditions would have been difficult to navigate that evening when the helicopter, a Robinson R66, crashed in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area.
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But traffic on the waterway remains a fraction of pre-war levels with different authorities vying to organize the transit of vessels, leaving operators with a difficult choice over which path to take.
Adjective
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Pelley had a very fiery clash with 60 Minutes’ new executive producer, Nick Bilton, in an internal network town hall on June 1 that went public.
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The map introduces the armored Oni, which swings a spiked kanabō, plus Scorched Zombies and fiery Hellhounds tied to its lava-field hazards.
Adjective
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Located in Florina, in northwestern Greece, the region lies on a high plateau ringed by jagged peaks, with freshwater lakes below.
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An important entry to the New Queer Cinema canon, Kar-wai’s drama is passionate, moody, and deeply evocative, tracing the jagged edges of an on-again, off-again romance in seedy 1990s Buenos Aires.
Adjective
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The process is meant to mitigate the chance of any sensitive instruments being damaged, Katalyst said in a press release.
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Mars activates your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources, motivating you to tackle sensitive matters with courage and protect what truly matters.
Adjective
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If a wool sweater or lacey top is too scratchy, it’s getting donated or listed on Depop stat.
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Unlike other linen pieces that are nearly impossible to keep wrinkle-free or feel stiff and scratchy, the entire line gets more comfortable with each wash.
Cite this Entry
“Prickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickly. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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