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thornier; thorniest
1
: full of thorns
2
: full of difficulties or controversial points : ticklish
a thorny problem
thorniness noun

Examples of thorny in a Sentence

stay out of the thorny brambles unless you want a ton of scratches
Recent Examples on the Web
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Many of the thornier details that would need to be hashed out for lasting peace were left unaddressed. Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2025 But the rapid emergence of ChatGPT — as an artificial intelligence tool for millions of people who rely on it for advice, instant answers and information analysis — is a new example of what experts tell PEOPLE can be a thorny subject. Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025 Succession is a thorny topic for independents. Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2025 In August, a court rebuffed Range’s bid to dismiss a claim accusing the company of operating as a rival agency, potentially setting up a thorny battle challenging its business dealings. Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 25 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thorny

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thorny was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorny. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

thorny

adjective
thornier; thorniest
1
: full of or covered with thorns
thorny rose bushes
2
: full of difficulties
a thorny problem
thorniness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on thorny

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