BRISTLY Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

bristly

adjective

ˈbris-lē

Definition of bristly

as in shaggy

covered with or as if with hair although pigs look hairless, they're actually bristly creatures

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bristly And my father—lovable but imposing, a strapping six feet three inches tall with a thick, bristly mustache and a rumbling Sergeant Schultz accent that frightened my friends half to death—loved to tell stories. — CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025 But that hypothesis, Harland wrote in a bristly 1964 Scientific American article, was not supported by any concrete evidence. — Laura Poppick july 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for bristly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristly

Adjective

He was done with being shaggy — this would be an album of precision.

— Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
One of the villain’s henchmen was a small, shaggy blue creature with a long drooping snout and a sour expression that lived in a cigar box.

— Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of shaggy

Adjective

Hirta is Latin for hairy, and the plant’s stems do feel rough to the touch.

— Sheryl DeVore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
For millions of years, Pacific mastodons — huge, hairy relatives of modern elephants — roamed a vast and lush range that included California, Oregon, the northern Rocky Mountains and parts of Mexico.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of hairy

Adjective

Several minutes in garlicky olive oil then transform them into silky ribbons that tangle easily with the pasta.

— Carla Lalli Music, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
To no surprise, celebrity MUA Tina Turnbow relied on Armani Beauty to create Russell’s glam, including the brand’s iconic skinlike foundation, silky concealer, and smoothing primer.

— Anna Traver, InStyle, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of silky

Browse Nearby Words

bristling

bristly

britches

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“Bristly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristly. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of bristly

adjective

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