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
Scientists thought these spiky bits might be spiny scales, like those found on the bodies of rays and sharks.
—
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Residents in Fort Collins, Colorado, have been reporting sightings of wild rabbits with tentacle-like, black spiny growths around their mouths and faces, according to the local news station WFSB.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Dramatic red flowers, which are known as calyxes, feature soft, spiny petals that are both elegant and a little bit scary.
—Maggie Heyn Richardson, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Residents in Fort Collins, Colorado, have been reporting sightings of wild rabbits with tentacle-like, black spiny growths around their mouths and faces, according to the local news station WFSB.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Dramatic red flowers, which are known as calyxes, feature soft, spiny petals that are both elegant and a little bit scary.
—Maggie Heyn Richardson, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiny
Adjective
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One of the world’s most persistent waste problems, plastics are durable and difficult to recycle.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
-
But grass is difficult to digest for the mammal.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Whether or not Takaichi's administration is as tough on immigration issues as her campaign rhetoric suggests, some observers warn that failing to actively invest in and integrate foreign nationals into society will have lasting harm on Asia’s second-largest economy.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Without a consolidation of that vote in the final stretch, Mamdani appears tough to beat.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This allows users to benefit from AI acceleration without exposing sensitive information.—
Ni Tao,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Teens will need to allow their parents access and provide them with a time-sensitive QR code to complete activation.—
Alex Vance,
Parents,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The larvae are usually about an 1/8-inch long, tan and covered in hairy bristles.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
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Descriptions of the Mogollon Monster vary, but it's generally described as a large, hairy and humanoid figure, standing over 7 feet tall, with a strong, foul odor.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Cabana’s greasy floor was sticky under her bare feet.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The fruit flies are attracted to them and get stuck on the sticky glue.—
Emma Ashe,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But coverage can be thorny, especially for weight loss, and some insurers are reducing coverage.—
Meg Tirrell,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The Magic Kingdom’s Villains Land will include two major attractions, dining and shopping in a dark, devious and thorny land where the evil ambitions of Disney Villains can run wild and their stories can be told.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While most ovens heat up fairly quickly, an extra 10 to 15 minutes in this temperature range can be problematic, especially if the food isn't eventually brought to a safe internal temperature before serving.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
22 Oct. 2025
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The second call was equally as problematic.—
Keith Sharon,
Nashville Tennessean,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Their double life soon gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret begins stealing their fans.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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In many ways, that has made keeping up with news about King Charles’ illness much more complicated.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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