prickly

prickly

adjective

Definition of PRICKLY

1

causing an unpleasant tingling sensation <she tried to ignore the feel of the prickly grass against her skin>

Synonyms irritating, itchy, prickly

Related Words coarse, harsh, rough

Near Antonyms silken, silky, soft, soothing

2

easily irritated or annoyed <she dreaded having to deal with her prickly boss>

Synonyms choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety, fiery, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, peevish, perverse, pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stuffy, testy, waspish

Related Words bearish, bilious, cantankerous, cross-grained, curmudgeonly, disagreeable, dyspeptic, ill-humored, ill-natured, ill-tempered, off-color (or off-colored), ornery, querulous, snarly, surly; argumentative, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, disputatious, fractious, fretful, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent; huffy, pouty, sensitive, short, sulky, sullen, tetchy, thin-skinned, touchy; hot-blooded, passionate

Near Antonyms affable, companionable, cordial, extroverted (also extraverted), friendly, genial, gregarious, outgoing, sociable; agreeable, amiable, good-natured, good-tempered, sweet, well-disposed; carefree, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, relaxed; forbearing, long-suffering, obliging, patient, stoic (or stoical), tolerant, uncomplaining, understanding

3

having leaves or branches which are likely to cause a scratch <waded carefully through the prickly bushes>

Synonyms brambly, prickly, thistly, thorny

Related Words burred; bristly, coarse, jagged, rough

4

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 catchy, delicate, difficult, dodgy [chiefly British], hairy, knotty, nasty, prickly, problematic (also problematical), sensitive, spiny, sticky, thorny, ticklish, touchy, tough, tricksy

Related Words abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, hard, intricate, involved, recondite, serious; problem, scabrous, stubborn, troublesome, troublous, vexatious, vexing, worrisome; burdensome, demanding, discommoding, exacting, exhausting, importunate, inconvenient, onerous, oppressive, painful, stressful

Near Antonyms easy, effortless, manageable, painless, simple, straightforward, uncomplicated, undemanding, unproblematic