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

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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

Being undefeated after a trio of difficult opening matches can only be seen as a positive, even if Newcastle’s obvious shortcomings require addressing if that run is to be prolonged.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Engineers need flight data on propulsion, aerodynamics, thermal management, guidance and other subsystems under conditions that are difficult to reproduce on the ground.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Competing in a Grand Tour is one of sport’s toughest endurance tests.

— Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Trump used several minutes of his speech to praise Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is in a tough Senate race in America's largest red state.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of tough

Adjective

Reputation work can involve sensitive information about executives, companies and disputes.

— Scott Keever, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Aestura’s Atobarrier365 Cream is a K-beauty go-to, lauded by shoppers with dry-slash-sensitive skin for its moisturizing and barrier-boosting perks.

— Sophie Dunne, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

For millions of years, Pacific mastodons — huge, hairy relatives of modern elephants — roamed a vast and lush range that included California, Oregon, the northern Rocky Mountains and parts of Mexico.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
If 97 and 29 do share the ice, the second-line centre appears to be Nugent-Hopkins, which could become hairy in a hurry.

— Janson Duench, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of hairy

Adjective

The latest data ramp up pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next week, a move that could lift mortgage and auto loan costs as core inflation proves sticky.

— Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
The pair are tasked with bringing public spending and borrowing under control, with sticky inflation, elevated government borrowing costs and lackluster economic growth adding to the urgency of balancing the books.

— Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of sticky

Adjective

Singapore pays its political leaders high salaries to attract talent and deter graft, but the issue is thorny in the city-state, where the median wage worker made S$5,775 ($736) a month in 2025.

— Reuters, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026
But there’s a question running through the film that’s a lot thornier than unlikely friendships and learning to look at the world through another’s eyes.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of thorny

Adjective

An example of Suzuki’s occasionally problematic late-game decision-making occurred during the home series against the Houston Astros from July 27 to July 29.

— Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
The setting is contemporary Paris in crisis, when civil unrest, rather amorphously presented apart from increasing numbers of military on the streets, makes evening strolls potentially problematic.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of problematic

Adjective

Downs got a complicated Ohio State defense on the right page, made checks and took away passing lanes by consistently being in the right place.

— Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Hossain ties up the fate of her complicated protagonist with a neat bow, leaving too many unanswered questions about the backstory and topics raised.

— Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 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 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of spiny

adjective

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