hairy

adjective

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\ ˈher-ē

hairier; hairiest

Definition of hairy

1a : covered with hair or hairlike material

b : having a downy fuzz on the stems and leaves

2 : made of or resembling hair

3a : tending to cause nervous tension (as from danger) a hairy adventure

b : difficult to deal with or comprehend a hairy math problem

Other Words from hairy Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing hairy Learn More About hairy

Examples of hairy in a Sentence

The taxi ride got a little hairy. When the deadline approaches, things can get a little hairy.

Recent Examples on the Web Along with the active rear spoiler, which deploys for up to 220 additional pounds of downforce, this makes the 2.76-mile circuit’s hairpins far less hairy. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2022 Sesnan said his fiancé went to a friend’s house to hide in the basement when things got hairy. — The Courier-Journal, 16 Dec. 2021 Things got very hairy for NBC News reporter Shaquille Brewster during a live Hurricane Ida report from Gulfport, MS. — BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2021 From smaller breeds like the hairy, lovable Puli to larger dog breeds like the bullmastiff, these dog breeds are smart, fearless, and faithful. — Leigh Crandall, Country Living, 18 Apr. 2022 The counterculture had been a scruffy, literally hairy affair; the ’80s, throwing over all that moralistic rebellion-against-the-system stuff, would be sleek, shaved, and beige. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Apr. 2022 The most sensitive ones are found in the top layer of the dermis (the tissue just below the skin at the surface) in non-hairy areas like the palms, lips, and of course, the fingertips. — Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 7 Apr. 2022 The tangle of mother-daughter relationships — the urge for approval butting up against the hunger for emancipation — is explored across three generations, with anxiety fueled by Ming’s hairy history with her own formidable panda. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2022 Things get pretty hairy around the Zoo switchboard where monkey business is the order of the day... — San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hairy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.