prickly
adjective
prick·ly
ˈpri-k(ə-)lē 
pricklier; prickliest
1
: full of or covered with prickles
especially
: distinguished from related kinds by the presence of prickles
3
a
: troublesome, vexatious
prickly issues
b
: easily irritated
had a prickly disposition
prickliness
noun
Examples of prickly in a Sentence
The plant's leaves are prickly.
she tried to ignore the feel of the prickly grass against her skin
Recent Examples on the Web
Mild comedy ensues as Michell settles in: struggling to connect with the unruly boys in his class, doing reluctant double duty as a hopeless rugby coach and forming a prickly bond with his earnest, sarcasm-averse Finnish colleague Michel (Björn Gustafsson).
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Sep. 2024
The debate largely was fought on ground chosen by Harris, with the vice president repeatedly baiting Trump into prickly rebuttals of her critiques on his record.
—Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2024
Tucson's inclusion is due to its famous saguaro cacti, the largest cactus species in the U.S. People can see these prickly giants at Saguaro National Park, which includes a west side and an east side tract.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 11 Sep. 2024
The victim is not a beloved actor or prickly acquaintance like in Seasons 2 and 3, but a close friend of one of the main trio, like Tim Kono (Julian Cihi) back in Season 1.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prickly 
Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Sep. 2024
The debate largely was fought on ground chosen by Harris, with the vice president repeatedly baiting Trump into prickly rebuttals of her critiques on his record.
—Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2024
Tucson's inclusion is due to its famous saguaro cacti, the largest cactus species in the U.S. People can see these prickly giants at Saguaro National Park, which includes a west side and an east side tract.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 11 Sep. 2024
The victim is not a beloved actor or prickly acquaintance like in Seasons 2 and 3, but a close friend of one of the main trio, like Tim Kono (Julian Cihi) back in Season 1.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prickly
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prickly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prickly
Cite this Entry
“Prickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickly. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prickly
adjective
prick·ly
ˈprik-lē
-ə-lē
pricklier; prickliest
1
: full of or covered with prickles
prickly plants
2
: marked by slight stinging or tingling
a prickly sensation
prickliness
noun
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