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

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 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 Keep your gooseberry shrub well-watered, and be sure to prune it—some varieties of this shrub have fairly spiny branches that can make harvesting berries uncomfortable without gloves. — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spiny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiny

Adjective

Her protectiveness of the island stretches back years, in part because Nantucket saved her, in a way, during a difficult time in her life.

— Wendy Naugle, USA Today, 11 July 2026
In the book, Hollis asks Gigi to stay after a difficult conversation about the affair.

— Max Gao, Variety, 11 July 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

The talks are meant to focus on the toughest matters, including fully reopening the strait and rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.

— Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Patrick Cantlay made a little noise in an otherwise quiet year for the American with five birdies in 10 holes and then a collection of tough par saves at the end that felt just as valuable.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

The autonomous coding tool can send sensitive information to a remote server without a user’s consent, the statement said in Chinese, according to a CNBC translation.

— Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 July 2026
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the possible crash.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

This daring accessory was first debuted in Schiaparelli’s fall 2024 ready-to-wear collection, and the hairy tie has been making the rounds with other celebrities such as Selma Blair.

— Christian Allaire, Vogue, 6 July 2026
The ambitious series will debut new episodes later this year, making this the perfect time to prop up your hairy feet and marathon the first two seasons.

— Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 22 June 2026

Definition of hairy

Adjective

What left me feeling more sticky-fingered were the gorgeous (and authentic) Asian artifacts that were placed throughout the room.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
To overcome the water’s sticky surface tension, the engineers discovered the robot must approach the surface at a steep 70-degree pitch.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026

Definition of sticky

Adjective

The package depicts the usual impenetrable forest of the GAS packaging in stark, thorny monochrome.

— Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026
And there are still subtle signs of a shift on the thorny issues around Israel within the caucus, after the liberal organization J Street endorsed Jeffries and his leadership team for the first time this Congress.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of thorny

Adjective

Note that film-rating site Rotten Tomatoes was part of NBCUniversal for years, and some critics have slammed that ownership structure as being problematic.

— Todd Spangler, Variety, 10 July 2026
Manufacturers continue to refine the technology, but many of the refrigerants remain problematic.

— Sabrina Weiss, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026

Definition of problematic

Adjective

Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own.

— Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
The study authors caution that the model should be applied carefully to more complicated perovskites in which structural changes and dielectric effects occur simultaneously.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 5 July 2026

Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

spinsters

spiny

spiral

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Spiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiny. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of spiny

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on spiny

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

implacable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes