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
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
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
The authors dutifully report that each pappus, the bristly head of a seed, contains 100 rod-like filaments on average, each about 7.4 mm long and 16.3 μm thick.
—Bill Andrews, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2018
See All Example Sentences for bristly
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
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
The authors dutifully report that each pappus, the bristly head of a seed, contains 100 rod-like filaments on average, each about 7.4 mm long and 16.3 μm thick.
—Bill Andrews, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2018
See All Example Sentences for bristly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bristly
Adjective
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Her soft, shaggy lob is easygoing and effortless—a departure from her past looks, which were heavy, messy-on-purpose blowouts.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Halle Berry and Sabrina Elba both opted for shaggy brown haircuts; the former, a highlighted bob, and the latter, a mid-length single-tone with textured bangs.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Edible insects in the form of wriggling maggots or hairy caterpillars are both delicacy and staple in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a central African nation of nearly 120 million people.—
Emmet Livingstone,
NPR,
20 Sep. 2025
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Once Upon a Brick — Wolf Guy gets himself into a hairy situation in this howling comedy.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Styled by Dani Michelle, the Rhode founder has shown a penchant for silky Tom Ford-era Gucci and buttery Saint Laurent blazers, clingy Mugler dresses and sweet Donna Karan sets.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
1 Oct. 2025
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Your gift recipient will love lounging in bed with these smooth and almost silky sheets from Target.—
Brandi Fuller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bristly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bristly. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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