1
as in intricate
having many parts or aspects that are usually interrelated
the knotty problems that arise when every nation is part of the global marketplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
the candidates cautiously gave their views on an array of knotty issues
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knotty
Commercially, deft handling by discerning arthouse distributors will be required to draw audiences to a knotty, novelistic work that is, in the most rewarding possible way, difficult to package or summarize.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 May 2025
The thinking was that future leaders of the city’s public schools should be educators rather than business leaders, which past mayors have hired at times to wrestle with CPS’ knotty financial challenges.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
At the plot-heavy episode’s center is the knotty friendship between June and Janine, who haven’t seen each other since their separation in season four.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
That voice sits atop dreamy keys and knotty electric guitar.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for knotty
Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 May 2025
The thinking was that future leaders of the city’s public schools should be educators rather than business leaders, which past mayors have hired at times to wrestle with CPS’ knotty financial challenges.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
At the plot-heavy episode’s center is the knotty friendship between June and Janine, who haven’t seen each other since their separation in season four.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
That voice sits atop dreamy keys and knotty electric guitar.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for knotty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knotty
Adjective
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Anne Hathaway wears an intricate scarf and shades on the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2 in New York City on July 25.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
People.com,
25 July 2025
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Nearby, Peacock Alley Lounge—the beating heart of the hotel–now feels more like a salon, with musicians playing nightly and guests craning for a closer look at the intricate ceiling.—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Some students may face family challenges that affect their ability to get to school, and some changes to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test, such as its move to online instead of paper form, could be difficult for students who only access computers at school, Maldonado said.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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So, too, was Torres, who made visitations with their son difficult.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Ike Howard’s journey to the Oilers roster is a little more complicated.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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Nevertheless, the Face Wrap sold out within 24 hours online, which speaks volumes about how complicated our relationship with our faces has become.—
Fiona Embleton,
Glamour,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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Lamont, who had proposed boosting special education aid by $40 million — but not until July 2026 — countered that the state budget already was on pace to exceed the budget cap and that legislators needed to make tough choices and trim spending.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 Aug. 2025
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Stage eight on Saturday will mark the start of a tough weekend of reckoning for the GC riders in the mountains to conclude the Tour.—
Jessica Hopkins,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Tariffs, trade wars and economic uncertainty complicate operations and planning.—
Simon Dae Oong Kim,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Now, sometimes the people or circumstances around us complicate that endeavor.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Businesses cannot process sensitive data without obtaining consumer consent.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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The website Health in Her Hue, for example, connects Black women and women of color to culturally sensitive healthcare providers.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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One way to put this is to reduce their many complex racing tasks to two words: fuel management.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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Dressler said part of what worries him is the relative lack of experience of the military pilots who may have only been in the area a short time and don't understand the complex airspace around Washington.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In this third and final season, a dream honeymoon in a tropical paradise takes a sinister turn, pulling Camila and Miguel into a tangled web of secrets and betrayal.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
31 July 2025
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Since 2019, OpenAI has methodically shifted power away from its nonprofit parent organization into a tangled web of business deals and investor relationships.—
Orson Aguilar,
Mercury News,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Knotty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knotty. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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