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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 California Board of Pharmacy in 2025 reversed course on regulations that would have made the supplement more difficult to acquire after pushback from some firefighters.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Striking out on her own was a difficult transition, but embracing her solitude gave her the space to learn more about herself and make her own personal decisions, such as getting her cat or making meals of her choosing.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

With men on first and third and nobody out that inning, second baseman Jackson Holliday fielded a tough grounder and threw to second, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped the ball for an error and everyone was safe.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
As for footwear sales in the region, the second quarter saw a slowdown of sales of high-heat product, alongside tougher comparatives and ongoing softness in end-of-cycle footwear product lines.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Batteries can store electricity, but extreme cold can threaten sensitive electronics and other critical hardware.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
There are several hundred stars that closely orbit this giant black hole and are sensitive to its gravity.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

The southern hairy-nosed wombat is the smallest of three species of wombats, all found in Australia, typically weighing between 45 and 65 pounds.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
These vines will also happily wind their way around tree trunks and shrubs and fix themselves in place with small rootlets that take on a hairy appearance as poison ivy plants mature.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of hairy

Adjective

No pomp, no circumstance, no celebrity— this is the sticky ground floor of the nation’s country music scene.

— Jacqueline Kehoe, Midwest Living, 19 Aug. 2026
Glazed baby back ribs, satisfyingly sticky and spiced with gochujang, come smothered with melting mozzarella for crazy long cheese pulls on Chicago-style, falling-off-the-bone pork.

— Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of sticky

Adjective

Connecting people with clinical trials is complicated – even if people identify a promising match, there’s a slew of potentially thorny factors, including geographic incompatibility, and financial and time considerations.

— Michelle Andrews, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
The two companies have a number of complementary businesses — including substantial pipeline and storage networks — but combining the operations would have been thorny.

— Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of thorny

Adjective

Animal-rights groups have been problematic at times with the zoos.

— Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Instagram users have always been able to block others — and, along with Meta’s oldest crown jewel, Facebook — the app has gradually added features for reporting problematic accounts and inappropriate content.

— Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of problematic

Adjective

Some 400 firefighters have been battling the blaze, aided by helicopters flying overnight, officials said, but high winds had complicated efforts to contain it.

— Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
But deciding what to do with that money has become more complicated because cash itself is once again producing a meaningful return.

— Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 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 25 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of spiny

adjective

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