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
  • The shortcomings of Usman and Dvalishvili, future Hall of Famers, only point to how difficult the historic mark was to reach.
    — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The Teamsters have been enthusiastically endorsing the bill specifically because, while 40-something employers would be difficult to collectively bargain against, DSP workers would be much easier to organize once within Amazon.
    — Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Coventry, for example, face Manchester City away in Gameweek Three, while some of the teams worth targeting early like Manchester United, Chelsea and Sunderland have tougher fixtures in Gameweeks Three or Four.
    — Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • This summer has seen a confluence of challenges, including excessive heat that allows food contamination to grow and a pathogen that’s particularly tough to pin down.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • To avoid this sensitive date, pre-orders are now predicted to start on Saturday, September 12th.
    — David Phelan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Capricorn December 22 – January 19 A sensitive conversation can support your reputation when handled well.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • 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
  • Her work often features naked women, sagging breasts, and hairy legs.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of hairy
Adjective
  • If the dough is too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Apartments with sticky floors and landlords absentee enough not to notice, or care, if a living room became a mosh pit.
    — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of sticky
Adjective
  • Data centers and their demands on power, land and water have become thorny political issues and are largely unpopular with the public.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • How much bigger is a thornier question that remains open today, but Erdős was the first person to make significant progress on it.
    — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of thorny
Adjective
  • So far, none of those efforts has been successful, and opponents say hunting would do little to address the most problematic bears that tend to live closer to residential neighborhoods.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Differences in ages between adults aren’t inherently problematic, but one’s experiences in life can change dramatically between 18 and 23.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • There’s a recent example of how complicated that can be in practice.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Finding the balance between preserving clubhouse culture and throwing future pieces into the fire remains complicated, even as the team dropped to 60-65 following Saturday’s 5-4 walk-off loss to the New York Mets.
    — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

spinsters
spiny
spiral
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spiny for Spanish Speakers

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