SPINY Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

spiny

adjective

ˈspī-nē

Definition of spiny

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of spiny While the bloody red shrimp may put pressure on other small lake creatures such as the spiny water flea, the shrimp are also a new source of food for fish, Branstrator said. — Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 3 July 2026 The flowers of jimson weeds are white or violet and trumpet-shaped, producing a spiny fruit. — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 21 June 2026 In its place urchin barrens now carpet the seafloor; a spiny, silent landscape stripped of life. — Tatjana Baleta, Time, 28 May 2026 The spiny, long-legged, and often reviled cockroach has become an unlikely symbol of dissent among India’s Gen Z, in a sharp rebuke to the ruling establishment in the world’s largest democracy. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for spiny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiny

Adjective

The outbreak is spreading under extremely difficult conditions, fueled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers' strike and intense population movements.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
And widespread adoption by farmers is challenging because perennial crops don’t yield as much, harvesting can be difficult and the market still is developing.

— Joshua A. Bickel, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Because of the heat wave's dramatic effect on everyday life, Paris became a tough place to walk around in the sunshine.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
But Chipotle has been in a tough spot since Niccol departed in 2024, and even as Boatwright’s plan shows signs of momentum (same-store sales have begun to tick back up again), there are open questions about Chipotle’s strategic direction.

— Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

The ability for any app or command to control an endpoint where sensitive user speech is processed is an entirely different matter.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Most pressure-sensitive adhesives are based on polymers, long chains of repeating molecular units that become entangled with one another.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

Hirta is Latin for hairy, and the plant’s stems do feel rough to the touch.

— Sheryl DeVore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
For millions of years, Pacific mastodons — huge, hairy relatives of modern elephants — roamed a vast and lush range that included California, Oregon, the northern Rocky Mountains and parts of Mexico.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of hairy

Adjective

The story of the rest of post-independent India lives far away from the film’s peripheries; Rio’s concerns, instead, are hyper-focused on a local tale of transformation and thorny resilience.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
Experiments with the tech raise thorny questions over everything from copyright and creative authorship to the future of models, photographers and other image-makers.

— Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of thorny

Adjective

The struggle for retailers now is convincing consumers and lawmakers that digital labels won’t open the door to problematic pricing practices.

— Alex Vuocolo, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026
Kaepernick’s vigilance did, however, force us to consider the painful and problematic relationship between law enforcement and people of color.

— Mike Jones, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of problematic

Adjective

John’s café rendezvous with equally complicated father-figure Hal ends with him punching the hotshot pilot in the face, in what turns out to be an ugly goodbye.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
The latest exercises demonstrated the basic training needed to operate the new tank so crews could progress to more complicated battlefield conditions, including environments with extensive drone disruption.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

spinsters

spiny

spiral

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“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of spiny

adjective

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