as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
this promises to be a spiny problem to negotiate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The tuatara of New Zealand, a spiny reptilian relic, can outlive generations of researchers studying it.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Though these prawns have spiny shells that are difficult to peel, the meat has a sweet taste like lobster, making this entree one of the eatery’s main attractions.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
Zebra and quagga mussels, spiny water flea and dozens of other Eurasian organisms colonized the Great Lakes starting in the late 1900s after arriving in ballast water from transoceanic ships.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Aloe vera is a spiny succulent plant that looks similar to agave.
—Atenea Morales De La Cruz, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Though these prawns have spiny shells that are difficult to peel, the meat has a sweet taste like lobster, making this entree one of the eatery’s main attractions.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025
Zebra and quagga mussels, spiny water flea and dozens of other Eurasian organisms colonized the Great Lakes starting in the late 1900s after arriving in ballast water from transoceanic ships.
—Christine Keiner, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2025
Aloe vera is a spiny succulent plant that looks similar to agave.
—Atenea Morales De La Cruz, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiny
Adjective
-
Rust, a difficult movie to release, grossed $25k at 115 theaters, presented by Falling Forward Films.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
4 May 2025
-
Surace 39-37 Round 3 - These are difficult to score.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
Federal judges have so far been skeptical of the Trump administration’s past efforts to use extraordinary powers to make deportations easier, and that could make suspending habeas corpus even tougher.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
10 May 2025
-
Last year’s drought conditions that extended into late fall combined with very windy winter conditions and frozen soils were tough for some evergreens.—
Pamm Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
10 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Trump administration – with Musk and his aides as the tip of the spear – have roiled the federal government with mass layoffs and demands for access to sensitive information at agencies including the Social Security Administration and the National Labor Relations Board.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
-
Let the paste sit for 30 minutes. Rinse away thoroughly and repeat if necessary. Method 4: For Acrylic Tubs Acrylic tubs require specific cleaners because of how sensitive the material is.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
From 1930s Chitlin’ Circuit reds (in honor of Beyoncé, of course) to snatched ponytails and even hairy shorts, this week’s beauty moments were full of historic references and reinvention.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
5 May 2025
-
Vel and Cinta give the group strict instructions to leave their weapons at home, but one rebel’s hidden blaster goes off during a hairy moment, killing Cinta.—
Noel Murray,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and other members of the U.S. central bank are meeting Tuesday and Wednesday, trying to chart a path where the U.S. can avoid both a recession and sticky inflation.—
Jesse Pound,
CNBC,
6 May 2025
-
Relevance is a particularly sticky word, one that lacks nuance.—
Eric Crosby,
Artforum,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Join Our Other Game Discussions Want to be part of the conversation about New York Times Games, or maybe get some help with a particularly thorny puzzle?—
Deb Amlen,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Leather should not be used for potting plants in wet soil, while rubber gloves shouldn't be used for trimming a thorny rose bush.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This dynamic was itself problematic but was compounded when the 1997 Asian financial crisis led to a string of Malaysia’s biggest companies being bailed out by the state, creating conditions ripe for rent-seeking behavior.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
2 May 2025
-
Some of his primary opponents have argued his reliance on billionaire donors is problematic.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
The plan gets more complicated than that and addresses other issues, but the main point is that the Republican proposal is a dramatic improvement over the current system.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
10 May 2025
-
Clearly the Red Sox misread things here, but with Devers the situation is a little more complicated.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 15 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share