knotty

adjective

knot·​ty ˈnä-tē 

knottier; knottiest

: marked by or full of knots

especially : so full of difficulties and complications as to be likely to defy solution

a knotty problem

knottiness noun

Synonyms of knotty

• intricate
• complicated
• complicate
• complex
• tangled
• sophisticated

Choose the Right Synonym for knotty

complex, complicated, intricate, involved, knotty mean having confusingly interrelated parts.

complex suggests the unavoidable result of a necessary combining and does not imply a fault or failure.

a complex recipe

complicated applies to what offers great difficulty in understanding, solving, or explaining.

complicated legal procedures

intricate suggests such interlacing of parts as to make it nearly impossible to follow or grasp them separately.

an intricate web of deceit

involved implies extreme complication and often disorder.

a rambling, involved explanation

knotty suggests complication and entanglement that make solution or understanding improbable.

knotty ethical questions

Examples of knotty in a Sentence

the knotty problems that arise when every nation is part of the global marketplace

the candidates cautiously gave their views on an array of knotty issues

Recent Examples on the Web

Think of the band’s poles with earthy Americana at one extreme and freaky, knotty jams at the other. —Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026

Based on John le Carré's 1993 novel, the six-part season unspooled the knotty tale of Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston), a former soldier and hotel night manager tasked with taking down a powerful arms dealer named Richard Roper (Laurie). —Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Jan. 2026

Their work, together and apart, eventually took them to some of the most knotty and high-profile spots in defense law. —Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 23 Dec. 2025

Teachers across the country are increasingly wrestling with knotty questions about whether and how to embrace AI in their classrooms. —Christian Orozco, NBC news, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing knotty

• knotty pine

Rhymes for knotty

• dotty
• doughty
• draughty
• haughty
• naughty
• potty
• scottie
• spotty
• strati
• zloty
• basmati
• bharati

Kids Definition

knotty

adjective

knot·​ty ˈnät-ē 

knottier; knottiest

1

: full of knots

knotty wood

2

: difficult sense 2b

a knotty problem