thistly

Definition of thistlynext
as in prickly
having leaves or branches which are likely to cause a scratch caught her sleeve on a thistly bush

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thistly
Adjective
  • Every so often, the British writer-director Mike Leigh makes a movie in which the stars — and the tartly casual dramatic scenes — line up, coalescing into a full-on vision of prickly humanity.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Or from locking up Mick Cronin through 2030, even though UCLA’s prickly basketball coach embarrasses the university annually and hasn’t reached a Sweet 16 since 2023.
    Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • In a nuclear reactor or radiation shield, neutrons and photons travel across jagged edges, dense metals, fluids, and empty voids.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
  • One armrest broke, and his fist hit jagged plastic, fracturing his left hand.
    Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2026
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
Adjective
  • The third round was old-style Gauff, scratchy and inconsistent and grinding her way to victory with her legs, over Cristina Buçsa.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • From removing stubborn stains to softening scratchy towels, vinegar consistently tackles the problems that detergents and fabric softeners sometimes leave behind.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
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Cite this Entry

“Thistly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thistly. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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