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
  • If only his dour and prickly assistant Patricia (Kate O’Flynn) would stop mentioning her encounter with the murderous Boogeyman.
    Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The film doesn’t canonize Heumann, instead showing her as dedicated leader who is also prickly, brash, and set in her ways.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The jagged edges of the lower bowl almost spotlight the playing field like center stage.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The soaring A-frame bar is the architectural showpiece, its timber ceiling echoing the jagged silhouette of the Brenta Dolomites beyond.
    Vicki Power, TheWeek, 14 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 look is crisp, angular, and metallic, with lots of straight lines and slender silhouettes, and sits in pleasing contrast alongside luscious velvet and scratchy linen, rough stone, warm terracotta, or grainy timber.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Winning ugly has become a kind of superpower for her, in the years when scratchy form emerged more often than not.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Thistly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thistly. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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