as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
this promises to be a spiny problem to negotiate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spiny
The spiny creatures are massive grazers of kelp forests, which are crucial members of marine ecosystems, Gehman says.
—
Andrea Tamayo, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2025
The five most common are the sandbar shark, bull shark, sand tiger shark, smooth dogfish and spiny dogfish.
—Irit Skulnik, Baltimore Sun, 22 July 2025
The Caribbean lobster that lives in the waters off of Anegada are spiny, lack claws and are smaller than their Maine counterparts.
—Caitlin Palumbo, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Specific receptors on medium spiny neurons are common targets for medications that are sometimes used to help treat OCD.
—Carol Mathews, The Conversation, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Andrea Tamayo, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2025
The five most common are the sandbar shark, bull shark, sand tiger shark, smooth dogfish and spiny dogfish.
—Irit Skulnik, Baltimore Sun, 22 July 2025
The Caribbean lobster that lives in the waters off of Anegada are spiny, lack claws and are smaller than their Maine counterparts.
—Caitlin Palumbo, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Specific receptors on medium spiny neurons are common targets for medications that are sometimes used to help treat OCD.
—Carol Mathews, The Conversation, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiny
Adjective
-
The Chamber said the cancellation was a difficult decision but ultimately the best course of action.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
-
And as more time passed, reaching out felt more and more difficult.—
Kevin Kruse,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike Trump, they aren’t charmed by the Kremlin’s tough guy.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Sanctions have roiled Russia's economy and Trump could use tougher measures as leverage over Putin, said Richard Portes, professor of economics at London Business School.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Short-term health risks, especially for sensitive populations, can include eyes, throat and nose irritation, asthma attacks, coughing and shortness of breath.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Aug. 2025
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There’s another potential dynamic at play, too: Will humans be more willing to divulge more sensitive details to a machine than another human?—
Gina Chua,
semafor.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The snow is often just beginning to melt, and scruffy yellow patches of grass appear like small, hairy scabs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Can the Cubs feel confident that their relievers will deliver them through a hairy situation when the chips are down?—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
For dried or sticky grease, Marshall suggests switching to dish soap diluted in water and rubbing gently with a soft sponge or microfiber cloth.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Despite skyrocketing prices for TV rights from name-brand sports leagues, even smaller streaming services know their future will be driven in part by that particularly sticky tune-in driver for audiences.—
David Bloom,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
During Friday’s press conference in the Palazzo del Casino, the actors tangled with the film’s thorny topics, which deal not only with assault but also race relations in the academic world and the ideological divide between generations.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
29 Aug. 2025
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The road narrowed, and dry grass and thorny scrub leaned over the dusty track, as two rhinos stepped quietly out of the undergrowth.—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This disconnect suggests that while devices can worsen mental health issues, just removing them doesn't appear to solve more fundamental matters of anxiety, depression or social isolation that drive problematic phone use in the first place.—
Angelica Mari,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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Still, this is evanescent stuff, hardly weighty enough to get mad about with respect to the aforementioned problematic areas.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Some say the video represents a rising crime problem in the city, but crime statistics paint a more complicated picture.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
14 Aug. 2025
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In interviews with more than 30 lawmakers, political figures, supporters, friends, and critics, Mamdani emerges as both more interesting and more complicated than the caricatures suggest.—
Mark Chiusano,
Time,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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