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
Step 3: Tidy the Harvest When the garlic is fully cured with papery skins and brittle, brown leaves, brush away any excess soil with your fingers and clip back the bristly roots.
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Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2024
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
Hedgehogs are small mammals, known for their coats, which are covered with bristly spines.
—Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for bristly
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2024
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
Hedgehogs are small mammals, known for their coats, which are covered with bristly spines.
—Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for bristly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristly
Adjective
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Towering at seven feet, with unblinking googly eyes, a shaggy blaze of orange fur and a gloriously unkempt beard, Gritty looks like pure chaos brought to life.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
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Later, other stars like Stevie Nicks, David Cassidy, and Mick Jagger mimicked the look in a more choppy, shaggy way with bangs, layers, and tons of texture—instead of the sleekness of the original look.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Key differences include hollow versus solid stems, branched versus single stems and hairy versus smooth leaves.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2026
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Plants with hairy leaves can also be more vulnerable to damage from neem oil.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For a more budget-friendly pair that still looks elevated, the Ekouaer long-sleeve pajama set at Amazon is made of a silky-smooth material and comes in over a dozen colors.—
Amanda Eyre Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
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Lightly coated with oil and tossed occasionally in a searing hot skillet or wok, even tough beans turn silky, and ready to coat in a finishing blast of chiles.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bristly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristly. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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