Illustration of thistle
plural thistles
1
: any of various composite (see composite entry 1 sense 1b) flowering plants (especially genera Carduus, Cirsium, and Onopordum) that have prickles on their leaves and sometimes on their stems and often have showy heads of tubular, usually purple flowers
also
: any of various other prickly plants
2
often thistle seed plural thistle seeds
: the small black seed of a tropical African herbaceous plant (Guizotia abyssinica) used especially as a source of oil and for bird feed
Examples of thistle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Its unique thistle-like flowers offer months of visual interest, blooming from late spring through fall and standing into winter.
—
Erica Browne Grivas, Midwest Living, 1 May 2026
Four plant motifs, including a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, were hand-cut from lace and hand-appliquéd onto ivory silk tulle to represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — the four countries that comprise the United Kingdom.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Weeds such as bedstraw, thistle, rescue grass, henbit, chickweed, and annual bluegrass are everywhere.
—Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Apr. 2026
Pull thistle and mustard growing nearby to help control the aphid population.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026
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Erica Browne Grivas, Midwest Living, 1 May 2026
Four plant motifs, including a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, were hand-cut from lace and hand-appliquéd onto ivory silk tulle to represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — the four countries that comprise the United Kingdom.
—Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Weeds such as bedstraw, thistle, rescue grass, henbit, chickweed, and annual bluegrass are everywhere.
—Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Apr. 2026
Pull thistle and mustard growing nearby to help control the aphid population.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thistle
Cite this Entry
“Thistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thistle. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thistle
noun
this·tle
ˈthis-əl 
: any of various prickly plants related to the daisies and having often showy heads of mostly tubular flowers
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