1
2
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
the candidate tried to avoid discussing his views on the thorny issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thorny
Whether for disease prevention or enhancement, this kind of work also necessitates destruction of human embryos in the process, which is another ethically thorny area.
—
Paul Knoepfler,
STAT,
24 June 2026
Leaving the thorny questions to the locals is, in one sense, a no-brainer acknowledgment that Alabama and Massachusetts have different relationships to federal authority.
—
Christopher Hooks,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Another helpful exercise, McCoy says, is to couch potentially thorny or negative interactions in the context of an overall positive situation.
—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
When Grace makes the unexpected pick of Hal as her new vp, things get awfully thorny among this quartet.
—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Paul Knoepfler,
STAT,
24 June 2026
Leaving the thorny questions to the locals is, in one sense, a no-brainer acknowledgment that Alabama and Massachusetts have different relationships to federal authority.
—
Christopher Hooks,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Another helpful exercise, McCoy says, is to couch potentially thorny or negative interactions in the context of an overall positive situation.
—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
When Grace makes the unexpected pick of Hal as her new vp, things get awfully thorny among this quartet.
—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny
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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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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At school, there are prickly Principal Anderson (Matt Oberg) and Donna (Amy Pietz, nice to see her), his good-hearted secretary, a champion of needy teens and, it will be revealed, Liz’s mother.
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Set the scene Desert-meets-tropical-island, where succulents flourish like daisies in spring, and prickly cacti forests line the local roads into the capital of Willemstad.
Adjective
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Summer 2026 is having a tough time deciding on this season’s dominating nail trend.
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These are typically low-wage jobs that the healthcare industry writ large has had a tough time recruiting for since the pandemic.
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.
Adjective
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Rescuers then wait intently for any indication of life, using sensitive microphones or telescopic cameras or simply pressing an ear against the rubble, hoping to detect a voice, a knock or the faintest movement.
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So far, the administration has sued multiple states unsuccessfully in attempts to obtain sensitive voter-roll data to run through a federal database known as the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, program.
Adjective
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Or will society collectively begin to see this as problematic?
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Calories Burned Chasing a calorie burn is especially problematic, according to De Leon.
Adjective
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But a closer examination paints a more complicated picture.
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The city also has some of the world’s most complicated rules about air-conditioning installation.
Cite this Entry
“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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