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as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
the candidate tried to avoid discussing his views on the thorny issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thorny
The thorny legal issue over who gets to distribute long-running game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune has an update.
—
Peter White, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
The bloc’s landmark legislation known as the AI Act has proven particularly thorny for companies in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence industry.
—Ryan Browne, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
The former have overlapping flaps of smooth skin that is red, pink, magenta, or white and pulp that may occur in any of these colors, while the latter have a yellow, thorny skin and white pulp only.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 5 Apr. 2025
The thorny but true adoption story of Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian woman born with dwarfism, was still going through U.S. courts when Aufiero was casting the show.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Peter White, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
The bloc’s landmark legislation known as the AI Act has proven particularly thorny for companies in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence industry.
—Ryan Browne, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
The former have overlapping flaps of smooth skin that is red, pink, magenta, or white and pulp that may occur in any of these colors, while the latter have a yellow, thorny skin and white pulp only.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 5 Apr. 2025
The thorny but true adoption story of Natalia Grace, a Ukrainian woman born with dwarfism, was still going through U.S. courts when Aufiero was casting the show.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thorny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thorny
Adjective
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The brown resurrection fern that grew thick along the jagged edges of the hollow was changing to a bright green right before her eyes.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
1 May 2025
-
The jagged edges matched the pointed toes of her metallic silver stilettos.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The task for Denver tonight will be that much more difficult if Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) is unavailable or limited.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Boselli and his teammates, coached by prickly taskmaster Tom Coughlin, saw it differently.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
-
There’s the prickly one sporting a spiked collar and the wannabe cowboy twirling a lasso.—
Ariel Bleicher,
Quanta Magazine,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Published in English, Tehelka had a small circulation but an outsized reputation for tough investigations.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Jimmie Woods-Gray, a member of the city’s fire commission, said that cutting the Equity Bureau is a necessary step in a tough budget year.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This is often due to postnasal drip, which is when mucus from the nose and sinuses drains down the back of the throat, causing irritation and a scratchy feeling.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2025
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It’s made from a soft alpaca wool blend, which adds tons of warmth without feeling hot or scratchy.—
Anne Taylor,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Historically, he's been sensitive to them, but his focus seems more on pushing his agenda than chasing approval numbers.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
-
If the plant is especially sensitive to sitting in water, raise it up by setting a small plank or block underneath.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This dynamic was itself problematic but was compounded when the 1997 Asian financial crisis led to a string of Malaysia’s biggest companies being bailed out by the state, creating conditions ripe for rent-seeking behavior.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
2 May 2025
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Some of his primary opponents have argued his reliance on billionaire donors is problematic.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Princess of Wales is coming off a very complicated year.—
Blanche Marcel,
Glamour,
28 Apr. 2025
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Admittedly, the show started to lose some momentum in later seasons as subplots and shifting relationships became more complicated.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thorny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thorny. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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