as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
although pigs look hairless, they're actually bristly creatures
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Recent Examples of bristly
Called Utah arrays, they are made of hard silicon and look a bit like the bristly part of a hairbrush.
—
WIRED, 19 Aug. 2022
Thirteen Lives reminds me of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 for its bristly character moments, people caught in extremis.
—Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2022
Sandstrom’s most recent Squonk is a hairy, wart-covered monster with bristly, unkempt fur, fangs, and ears that curve down submissively.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 19 Apr. 2020
Often, as a bonus, a librarian or teacher will lean in to give Daisy a kiss on her bristly snout, to general glee from the young audience.
—Nora McGreevy, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for bristly
WIRED, 19 Aug. 2022
Thirteen Lives reminds me of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 for its bristly character moments, people caught in extremis.
—Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 6 Aug. 2022
Sandstrom’s most recent Squonk is a hairy, wart-covered monster with bristly, unkempt fur, fangs, and ears that curve down submissively.
—Steven Litt, cleveland, 19 Apr. 2020
Often, as a bonus, a librarian or teacher will lean in to give Daisy a kiss on her bristly snout, to general glee from the young audience.
—Nora McGreevy, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for bristly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristly
Adjective
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Getty Images Jenner's look, on the other hand, was quite a departure from her usual sleek yet shaggy pixie.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
13 May 2025
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These were big, shaggy beasts belonging to a Toda tribe.—
Cyril E. Holland,
Outdoor Life,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Anousheh’s role is to incentivize breakthroughs in areas like carbon removal, space exploration, clean water, and longevity—big, hairy problems that can't be solved on a tight deadline or narrow budget.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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Black hairy tongue is a benign condition characterized by an abnormal coating of carpet-like papillae on the top surface of the tongue.9 Accidental ingestion during gargling: Hydrogen peroxide solutions up to 9% are usually safe to consume if swallowed while gargling.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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The pedals are made from a silky polyurethane material, while the stems feature a metal wire base that is wrapped in plastic.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
9 May 2025
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The palate is silky smooth yet robust, showcasing flavors of brown sugar, dark stone fruit, cinnamon bark, and sweet tobacco.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bristly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristly. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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