spiny

adjective

ˈspī-nē How to pronounce spiny (audio)
Definition of spinynext
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling this promises to be a spiny problem to negotiate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 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 If a creature is small enough to swallow and not spiny or sticky or otherwise resists Yoshi's tongue, it will be turned into a green egg that's the series standard. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 19 May 2026 Last year, Choudhury produced the film Wild London in which Attenborough — then aged 99 — shimmies on his belly to get eye-to-eye with the spiny mammal. — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for spiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiny
  1. difficult
  2. tough
  3. sensitive
  4. hairy
  5. sticky
  6. thorny
  7. problematic
  8. complicated
Adjective
  • Strickland said even getting equipment on the road during construction can be difficult for farmers.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
  • While following the money may be difficult, there are other signs of the growing role of organized crime in politics.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • There were tough conversations between Naylor and Cleveland’s coaches and front office.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Villegas, after a tough primary election battle against Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, has roughly $572,000.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • As the man building rings and providing backdrops with the event names on them for big press conferences, he is often trusted with sensitive information long before it is announced.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The risk manager requested anonymity to discuss sensitive business interests.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Some plants are less likely to get eaten than others, namely, plants with strong fragrance and to a lesser extent, things that are hairy or heavily textured.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 21 July 2026
  • Scope 3 is the big, hairy one to get your arms around, but for us Scope 1 is our own operations—not just our stores, but our manufacturing.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 20 July 2026
Definition of hairy
Adjective
  • High interest rates – currently averaging around 21% – make credit card debt sticky and hard to get rid of.
    — Ryley Amond, CNBC, 24 July 2026
  • Further tests showed that the thick sticky coating made these bacteria more virulent than the normal-looking bacteria from the first urine sample.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • Ervin for thinking creatively about this thorniest of issues.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • There’s some wisdom in not having a rape threat hover over ten hours of serialized television, and the shift has opened up some thorny connections between Cady and Anna Bowden, whose pasts continue to intersect in intriguing ways.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Definition of thorny
Adjective
  • The affected vehicles, which were built between 2021 and 2026, feature a problematic wiring harness that increases the risk of engine fires.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 July 2026
  • Particulars matter Haiti observers warn that considering the country’s vexing history with electoral fraud, violence, problematic votes and post-election crises, the particulars of its electoral machinery do matter.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • My mom was at least as complicated as my dad, in terms of gender, mental illness, depression.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 July 2026
  • Trade grades are rarely straightforward, and this one is a little more complicated because the players lack lengthy track records.
    — Chad Jennings, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

spinsters
spiny
spiral
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Cite this Entry

“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spiny for Spanish Speakers

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