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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Cue, Helm’s first rejection, abandonment, difficult emotions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
This character was actually quite difficult for me.—
Gavin J Blair,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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Some people experience tactile allodynia, which happens when the central nervous system becomes extra sensitive to things that touch your skin.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
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Still, employees have also been left wondering why the moves needed to take place when so many employees remained furloughed and unaware of how sensitive hardware was being handled.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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For a less hairy experience, consider trying a gold kiwi or the hardy kiwi.—
Lauren O'Connor,
Health,
3 Nov. 2025
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The flights through the once Category 5 storm have been particularly hairy, with one of the NOAA aircraft having to return to its base for a safety inspection after exceeding its g-force limits from the turbulence.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Next, add the pumpkin and peanut butter and blend until the mixture is sticky.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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At the heart of this first of what could be many such trials is the premise that social media and its algorithms and sticky attraction have harsh consequences of thoughts of suicide, depression, sleep disruption, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and anxiety.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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To say nothing about the thorny question of its genre—do Eastern European writers need to provide more explanations and justifications when using the technique of autofiction?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
This is a very thorny path forward for the Vikings over the next month.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
1 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The show leans into this offensive, problematic plot device without any self-awareness.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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However, others didn't find the ad too problematic.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The flare suggests there are unknown populations of giant stars near the centers of large galaxies, which also host supermassive black holes — and sheds light on the complicated interactions between two behemoths.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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What unites them is Dern’s ability to find the humanity in characters navigating life’s most complicated terrain.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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