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
As the markets heat up, the courts have begun to lay the groundwork to tackle some of the pricklier questions.
—
Terry Collins, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
But, of course, no good deed goes unscrutinized, and those donations have been raising some prickly questions, especially online, where not everyone has been feeling so generous about Van Der Beek’s GoFundMe campaign.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 2026
Frog is written by someone who is besotted by life and its perpetual gifts, even if in prickly or limp or heartbreaking packages.
—Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Stop at the Cholla Cactus Garden and walk along its paths, but don't get too close to the prickly plants.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prickly
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Terry Collins, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
But, of course, no good deed goes unscrutinized, and those donations have been raising some prickly questions, especially online, where not everyone has been feeling so generous about Van Der Beek’s GoFundMe campaign.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 21 Feb. 2026
Frog is written by someone who is besotted by life and its perpetual gifts, even if in prickly or limp or heartbreaking packages.
—Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Stop at the Cholla Cactus Garden and walk along its paths, but don't get too close to the prickly plants.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prickly
Cite this Entry
“Prickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prickly. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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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