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

3 a :troublesome, vexatious

prickly issues

b :easily irritated

had a prickly disposition

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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

His draconian reforms and prickly personality irked Montreal’s clubby business elite.

— shawn tully, Fortune, "Google Is Expanding Its Public Wi-Fi Program to a Second Country in Asia," 25 Aug. 2017
MADISON – Jonathan Taylor faced a prickly decision last fall: The talented tailback from Salem, N.J., could stand by his original commitment and stay home to play for Rutgers, in front of family and friends who have supported him for years.

— jeff potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Jonathan Taylor, UW's touted freshman tailback, displays the maturity of a senior," 23 Aug. 2017
Acres of Ohio horsemint, pale leafcup, leafy prairie clover and glade quillwort now thrive on land that once was a forest of prickly buckthorn.

— susan demar lafferty, Daily Southtown, "Will County forest earns restoration award," 10 Aug. 2017
St. Paul, Minn., has an oftentimes prickly rapport with Minneapolis.

— richard campanella, NOLA.com, "How Algiers grudgingly became part of New Orleans," 8 Aug. 2017
Cutler, 34, drew little interest in the spring as a free agent, perhaps partly because of his prickly personality and tendency for turnovers.

— steven wine, courant.com, "Cutler To Sign With Dolphins, Leave Broadcast Booth," 6 Aug. 2017
Political Survival Unlike Nawaz, Shehbaz is seen to have a less prickly relationship with the military, which may bode well for his political survival.

— chris kay, Bloomberg.com, "Sharif Brother to Carry Tarnished Pakistan Political Dynasty," 30 July 2017
The prickly response came after the Chelsea manager had questioned the ambitions of Pochettino's side, and claimed that the Argentine is not working under as much pressure as his counterparts due to reduced market activity.

— SI.com, "Mauricio Pochettino Demands 'More Respect' From Chelsea Boss Antonio Conte After Ambition Comments," 29 July 2017
Based on their prickly relationship, their family tree must have been a cactus.

— barbara hijek, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Family Feud: Man deliberately crashed into in-law's truck, deputies say," 28 July 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.

First Known Use of prickly

1578

prickly Synonyms

Synonyms

irritating, itchy, scratchy

Related Words

coarse, harsh, rough

Near Antonyms

silken, silky, soft, soothing

Other Seed Plant Terms

aubergine, box, bramble, briar, composite, perpetual, pulse, trefoil

PRICKLY Defined for English Language Learners

prickly

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adjective

Definition of prickly for English Language Learners

: having many sharp points
: caused or seeming to be caused by something that has many small, sharp points
: causing a prickly feeling on your skin

PRICKLY Defined for Kids

prickly

play

adjective prick·ly \ ˈpri-klē \

Definition of prickly for Students

pricklier; prickliest

1 :having small sharp points

a prickly cactus

2 :having or causing slight stinging pain

a prickly sensation

prickly cold

Learn More about prickly

See words that rhyme with prickly Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for prickly Spanish Central: Translation of prickly Nglish: Translation of prickly for Spanish speakers

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Definition of prickly

prickliness

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Examples of prickly in a Sentence

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prickly Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

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Other Seed Plant Terms

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prickly

Definition of prickly for English Language Learners

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prickly

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