variants
also spikey
as in barbed
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spiky
Jasmine petals, one of my favorite floral notes, is given a spikier edge alongside Australian pink pepper, while raspberry and spun sugar add a pleasing sweetness without being too much.
—
Venus Wong, refinery29.com, 30 Oct. 2024
Common snappers range from Nova Scotia to the Gulf of Mexico, while their spikier cousins are mostly found in the southern states west to Texas.
—Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023
Her hair was mostly swept up into a bun, emphasizing the straight line of her slightly spiky new bangs.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 27 Aug. 2023
And the finale, two lobsters — brown and spikier than their US relativesbut much sweeter, more like crab — split in half and over what must be a pound of spaghetti.
—Helene Stapinski, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for spiky
Venus Wong, refinery29.com, 30 Oct. 2024
Common snappers range from Nova Scotia to the Gulf of Mexico, while their spikier cousins are mostly found in the southern states west to Texas.
—Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 1 Nov. 2023
Her hair was mostly swept up into a bun, emphasizing the straight line of her slightly spiky new bangs.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 27 Aug. 2023
And the finale, two lobsters — brown and spikier than their US relativesbut much sweeter, more like crab — split in half and over what must be a pound of spaghetti.
—Helene Stapinski, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for spiky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiky
Adjective
-
My grandmother started working at the age of 12 years old in a linen factory in Belfast, traveling through barbed wire and barricades every day, not to school but to a job to support her family.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Feb. 2026
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My parents were just children when they were wrested from their homes into tarpaper barracks surrounded by barbed wire.—
Julie Morita,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Of course, caustic rhetoric is as old as the country.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
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Hunt and Attorney General Ken Paxton are running against Cornyn in the increasingly caustic March 3 primary.—
Joseph Morton,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Cynical and sardonic, Emma is a bright and caring veterinarian who lives at home in a coven with her vampire parents, Charles and Liz.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Feb. 2026
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Its sardonic view of our digital echo chambers has only grown more relevant since its release.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
After Ekeler raised the level of Nebraska’s special teams play in 2025, my sense is that the Nebraska public doesn’t possess the patience to endure an explanation on why things went sour with him.—
Mitch Sherman,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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Salesforce ‘s lukewarm fourth-quarter results left a sour taste in analysts’ mouths and will do little to stem the software giant’s year-to-date sell-off.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There was zero indication that Catherine O’Hara was anywhere near done with her hysterically acerbic arc on this Apple TV smash, one of the biggest comedies of the streaming era.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
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Jackie Prutsman is suitably acerbic and Aspen Thompson has particular fun with some physical comedy in the second act.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The pungent aroma was bad news for the parrots when humans arrived in New Zealand hundreds of years ago.—
Charlotte Graham-McLay,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The green sprout is safe to eat, but the flavor is often stronger, more pungent, and even sometimes more bitter compared with the bulb, says Baker.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Moving between longing, sarcastic humor and anger, Penelope is a life-affirming feminist romance that makes an ancient legend, first told thousands of years ago, still relevant today.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
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As Torquay’s women’s team were beating Gloucester on Sunday, commenters left sarcastic replies under the club’s social media updates.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The acidic solution is placed in the base and water reservoir of the unplugged dehumidifier, and allowed to sit for up to 60 minutes to dissolve the mineral buildup.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
25 Feb. 2026
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Sometimes compost becomes too acidic during decomposition, Ivanov says—fireplace ash helps neutralize this acidity.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spiky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiky. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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