1
2
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
she dreaded having to deal with her prickly boss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
a prickly issue that will outrage at least one special interest if not handled delicately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prickly
There’s the prickly one sporting a spiked collar and the wannabe cowboy twirling a lasso.
—
Ariel Bleicher, Quanta Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Lawrence will play Judge Stone, a former prosecutor known for his prickly attitude and tough sentencing.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
Our band, too, found ourselves on a prickly path to one of the most revered venues in the country.
—Ryan Miller, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
Presented between columns equipped with needle-like installations, the designer showed sultry, body-hugging looks with prickly prints and comfy, padded pieces.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prickly
Ariel Bleicher, Quanta Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Lawrence will play Judge Stone, a former prosecutor known for his prickly attitude and tough sentencing.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
Our band, too, found ourselves on a prickly path to one of the most revered venues in the country.
—Ryan Miller, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
Presented between columns equipped with needle-like installations, the designer showed sultry, body-hugging looks with prickly prints and comfy, padded pieces.
—Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prickly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prickly
Adjective
-
For some people, double cleansing may be too irritating.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
15 May 2025
-
Not just the threat-of-extinction stuff, which includes Bassett’s POTUS debating which American city to blow up as a preemptive gesture, but by its own irritating God’s-eye omniscience that rarely allows the suspense to spool out in the present.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
The crew is under the supervision of the capable Mensah (Noma Dumezweni) who is prone to panic attacks as the group visits an irritable planet at the behest of The Corporation — a powerful business conglomerate where profit is indeed king.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
16 May 2025
-
It’s said to cause people to become irritable, aggravate health problems, and abrade mechanical devices.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
The climate crisis is a big, thorny problem that demands nuance and thoughtful reflection.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
-
The cases have raised thorny legal questions about jurisdiction as well as First Amendment rights to free speech, which extend to both citizens and noncitizens under the US Constitution.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
Two of Elissa’s tumors were obliterated that day, but the third was too difficult to reach without repositioning Elissa’s body in a way that would have taken too much time under anesthesia.—
Kristen Jordan Shamus,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Luca Solca sector head for global luxury goods at Bernstein Clouding the picture further, many other premium Swiss watchmakers including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, are privately owned, making their performance difficult to decipher.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
18 May 2025
Adjective
-
Ethan just held onto a plane in mid-air, beat the bad guy, and defeated a god-like artificial intelligence averting the fiery nuclear death of all humanity.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
-
As Mars meets with Venus in a fiery trine, this sizzling synergy activates your 10th house of authority and publicity and sixth house of due diligence.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
The thunder rolled and lightning danced among the jagged peaks as a summer rainstorm soaked the alpine meadows of California’s Sierra Nevada.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 May 2025
-
In addition to more glaciers (circa 300) than any other national park in the Lower 48 states, North Cascades boasts dozens of jagged snowy peaks, wild rivers, tranquil lakes, and among the highest biodiversity of any U.S. park.—
Joe Yogerst,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
Security clearance requirements limit the most sensitive jobs to U.S. citizens.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
-
Even benchmarks can be misleading, since outcomes are highly sensitive to the types of tasks included.—
Josipa Majic Predin,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
Adjective
-
Everything was soft to touch except the scratchy instrument binnacle.—
Matthew MacConnell,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
-
Pavement’s early music was scratchy and eccentric, built on guitars that gnawed and eked their way through songs.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prickly. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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