prickly

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adjective prick·ly \ˈpri-k(ə-)lē\

Definition of prickly

pricklier

;

prickliest

1 : full of or covered with prickles; especially : distinguished from related kinds by the presence of prickles
2 : marked by prickling : stinging a prickly sensation
3a : troublesome, vexatious prickly issuesb : easily irritated had a prickly disposition

prickliness

noun

See prickly defined for English-language learners

See prickly defined for kids

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 of prickly from the Web

Its hillsides and areas around the base are full of coastal sage scrub and prickly pear cacti, providing habitat for the California gnatcatcher and coastal cactus wren.

— elizabeth marie himchak, Pomerado News, "Hikers, are you up for a challenge?", 5 July 2017
A chain smoker fond of Stetson hats, Colter was notoriously prickly.

— CBS News, "On The Trail: The "Parkitecture" of Grand Canyon National Park", 2 July 2017
But a growing fanbase often comes with prickly questions about compromising values and the sacrifices musicians are asked to make for success.

— dayna evans, The Cut, "There’s Never Been a Better Time For a New Downtown Boys Record", 30 June 2017
But the film truly belongs to Collins, who keeps her character convincingly prickly, vulnerable, and real throughout.

— vanityfair.com, "What’s New on Netflix in July", 22 June 2017
Elote, with a prickly pear cocktail at Cantina Alley in Midtown Sacramento.

— carla meyer, sacbee, "A cocktail in a watermelon and killer fish tacos served in an alley? Count us in.", 22 June 2017
What lingers for me is the prickly pear, which leaves you with a fruit-forward taste that perfectly compliments the smooth, dry finish.

— liz bowen, Pacific San Diego Magazine, "Undistributed beer of the week: Cactus Sour", 22 June 2017
Filled to the brim with towering monologues and laden with references to art and literature, Guare’s prickly masterpiece deals with problems of race, class, and isolation in biting, loquacious fashion.

— richard lawson, Vanity Fair, "Allison Janney on Broadway Stress, Instagram Anxiety, and the Joys of Playing Tonya Harding’s Mom", 6 June 2017
As the ensuring debates got nastier, Frank got pricklier.

— jackie strause, The Hollywood Reporter, "When 'House of Cards' Decided to Start Trolling Trump", 1 June 2017

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